According to a new Farm Futures survey, U.S. corn producers say they will increase corn acreage 4.1% from year prior, to 94.7 million acres in 2021.
If realized, 2021 corn acreage will be the third largest over the past 75 years, trailing only 2012 (97.3 million acres) and 2013 (95.4 million acres) acreages. Based on a conservative trendline yield estimate of 177.4 bushels per acre, 2021 corn production could reach 15.3 billion bushels, besting 2016’s record haul of 15.1 million bushels as the highest U.S. corn output on record.
The January 2021 survey of 806 farmers shows farmers favor planting more corn this spring, although planting intentions for both corn and soybeans are up from 2020 levels. And a fair number of farmers intend to stick with their usual crop rotation.