The National Agriculture Statistics Service has estimated that growers intend to plant 1.43 million acres of peanuts in 2008, up 16 percent from 2007. A higher price received for the 2007 crop, compared to the previous five years, is the main reason for the expected increase.

Southeast growers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and South Carolina intend to plant 1.04 million acres, compared with the 98,000 acres planted in 2007. Georgia expects to see an increase of 23 percent in planted acreage.

Growers in the Southwestern states of New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas intend to plant 279,000 acres, up 28 percent from the previous year.

Plantings in the Virginia-North Carolina region are expected to total 108,000 acres, down 5 percent from 2007.

Corn
Corn growers intend to plant 86 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2008, down 8 percent from last year when planted area was the highest since 1944. Expected acreage is down from last year in most states as favorable prices for other crops, high input costs for corn and crop rotation considerations are motivating some farmers to plant fewer acres to corn. Despite the decrease, corn acreage is expected to remain at historically high levels as the corn price outlook remains strong due in part to the continued expansion in ethanol production.

Soybeans
Soybean producers intend to plant 74.8 million acres in 2008, up 18 percent from last year, but 1 percent below the record-high acreage in 2006. Acreage increases are expected in all states, except in West Virginia, which is unchanged from last year. The largest increases are expected in Iowa and Nebraska and, if realized, the planted acreage in Kansas, New York and Pennsylvania will be the largest on record.

Wheat
All wheat planted area is estimated at 63.8 million acres, up 6 percent from 2007. The 2008 winter wheat, at 46.8 million acres, is 4 percent above 2007 and up slightly from previous estimates.

Cotton
Area planted to cotton for 2008 is expected to total 9.39 million acres, down 13 percent from last year. Upland acreage is expected at 9.19 million acres, 13 percent below last year and the lowest since 1983. American-Pima cotton growers intend to plant 203,600 acres, down 30 percent. Producers expect to switch acres from cotton to other crops because of higher prices of grain and oilseed crops and increased input cost for cotton.

Upland growers in the Delta states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee intend to plant 1.96 million acres, a 29 percent decrease from 2007. Farmers in Mississippi expect to plant 420,000 acres, 36 percent less than last year and the lowest acreage on record. Louisiana producers intend to plant 280,000 acres, the lowest on record. Tennessee producers expect to plant 40 percent fewer acres than last year.

In Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, growers intend to plant 2.02 million acres, a decrease of 10 percent from last year. South Carolina, at 120,000 acres, has the largest decline in the region at 33 percent less than 2007. Alabama producers intend to plant 300,000 acres, down 25 percent from last year and the lowest acreage since 1983. Georgia producers expect to plant 1.05 million acres, an increase of 2 percent from last year.

Producers in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico intend to plant 4.96 million acres, a 4 percent decrease from last year. Texas producers expect to plant 4.70 million acres, down 200,000 acres from last year.

PG