06 April 2026, Washington: U.S. farmers are preparing to scale back corn cultivation while expanding soybean acreage in 2026, according to the latest Prospective Plantings report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Survey data indicates that producers intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn this year, marking a 3 percent decline from 2025. The reduction reflects a widespread trend, with corn acreage expected to decrease in 37 out of the 48 reporting states. Significant declines of more than 300,000 acres are anticipated across key Corn Belt states including Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. However, some smaller states present contrasting trends, with Nevada and Washington projected to record their highest-ever corn acreage, while Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island are likely to see record lows.
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In contrast, soybean planting is set to expand, with growers intending to plant 84.7 million acres in 2026, an increase of 4 percent compared to last year. Major acreage gains exceeding 300,000 acres are expected in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, with Wisconsin projected to reach a record high in soybean area. The shift suggests changing profitability dynamics and input cost considerations influencing farmer decision-making ahead of the planting season.
The Prospective Plantings report, based on surveys conducted in early March from approximately 74,000 farm operators nationwide, provides the first comprehensive indication of crop area allocation for the year.
Beyond corn and soybeans, wheat acreage is also expected to decline. Total wheat planted area for 2026 is estimated at 43.8 million acres, down 3 percent from 2025. Winter wheat area stands at 32.4 million acres, reflecting a 2 percent decline both from last year and earlier estimates. Spring wheat planting is projected at 9.42 million acres, down 6 percent, while Durum wheat is expected to see a sharper decline of 11 percent, reaching 1.95 million acres.
Cotton, however, is moving in the opposite direction, with planted area forecast to rise by 4 percent year-on-year to 9.64 million acres, indicating renewed interest in fiber markets amid shifting crop economics.
Alongside planting intentions, the agency also released its quarterly Grain Stocks report, offering insights into current supply levels. Corn stocks as of March 1 stood at 9.02 billion bushels, an 11 percent increase from the previous year. On-farm corn stocks rose significantly by 21 percent, while off-farm holdings declined slightly by 2 percent.
Soybean stocks totaled 2.10 billion bushels, up 10 percent year-on-year, with on-farm stocks increasing by 3 percent and off-farm stocks rising by 16 percent. Wheat stocks reached 1.30 billion bushels, up 5 percent overall, although on-farm stocks declined by 3 percent even as off-farm stocks grew by 8 percent.
Durum wheat stocks showed the sharpest increase, rising 21 percent to 46.5 million bushels. On-farm Durum stocks surged by 40 percent, while off-farm stocks declined by 4 percent compared to the same period last year.
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