U.S. corn producers are expected to plant 90.5 million acres of corn this spring, the most in 63 years. According to USDA's March 30 “Prospective Plantings” report, the increases come at the expense of cotton and soybean acres, down 20% and 11%, respectively.

The report says corn acres would be the highest since 1944, when 95.5 million acres were planted. Expected acreage is up in nearly all states due to high corn prices.

Soybean producers intend to plant 67.1 million acres in 2007, down 11% from last year. If realized, this will be the lowest planted area since 1996.

All wheat planted area is estimated at 60.3 million acres, up 5% from 2006. The 2007 winter wheat planted area, at 44.5 million acres, is 10% above last year and up 1% from the previous estimate.

Meanwhile, producers expect to harvest 63.1 million acres of all types of hay in 2007, up 4% from 2006 harvested acres. About 60.8 million acres of hay were harvested in 2006 — 21.4 million in alfalfa, and 39.4 million in other hays.