by Lisa Ferguson

RICHMOND

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the Acreage and Grain Stocks reports today, showing Virginia farmers are planting more soybeans and cotton this year than last.

“Soybeans and cotton planted acreage are estimated to be more than 2017, while corn and peanuts planted acreage are estimated to be down from last year,” said Herman Ellison, Virginia state statistician. “The crops were reported in mostly good condition.”

Soybeans planted in Virginia were estimated at 620,000 acres, up 20,000 acres from 2017. Acres harvested for grain, at 610,000 acres, was 20,000 acres above acres a year ago. U.S. soybean planted area for 2018 was estimated at 89.6 million acres, down one percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 88.9 million acres, is down one percent from 2017.

Upland cotton acreage in Virginia was estimated at 85,000, up 1,000 acres from 2017. The U.S. total upland cotton acreage is estimated at 13.3 million acres, up seven percent from the previous year.

Acreage planted to corn in Virginia was estimated at 490,000 acres, down 10,000 acres from 2017. Acres harvested for grain was estimated at 330,000 acres, down 10,000 acres from last year. The U.S. corn planted for all purposes in 2018 was estimated at 89.1 million acres, down one percent from last year. Growers expect to harvest 81.8 million acres for grain, down one percent from last year.

Peanut growers in the Commonwealth planted 23,000 acres, down 4,000 acres from 2017. Producers expect to harvest 23,000 acres of peanuts this year, also down 4,000 acres from 2017. U.S. peanuts planted was estimated at 1.50 million acres, down 20 percent from 2017. Area harvested was forecast at 1.46 million acres, down 18 percent from last year.

Farmers in Virginia intend to set an estimated 1,000 acres of burley tobacco for harvest. This was 100 acres below the 2017 level. Dark fire-cured tobacco acreage set was estimated at 280 acres, up 10 acres from the previous year. Flue-cured tobacco acreage was estimated at 22,000 acres, unchanged from a year ago. Flue-cured producing states acreage for harvest was estimated at 204,500 acres, two percent below last year.

Barley seeded acreage is estimated at 40,000 acres, up 33 percent from last year. Barley producers anticipate harvesting 11,000 acres for grain, unchanged from last year. Barley planted for the nation was estimated at 2.55 million acres, up three percent from 2017. Acres harvested for grain is forecast at 2.05 million acres, up five percent from last year.

Winter wheat seeded acreage in Virginia was estimated at 220,000 acres, 10,000 acres above the previous year. Acreage harvested for grain was estimated at 150,000 acres, 5,000 acres above 2017.

The U.S. winter wheat planted area was estimated at 32.7 million acres, up slightly from 2017. Area harvested for grain was forecast at 24.8 million acres, down two percent from last year.

Alfalfa hay acreage in Virginia was estimated at 45,000 acres, down 10,000 from the 2017 crop. All other hay was estimated at 1.05 million acres, down 100,000 from a year ago. The U.S. All other hay acreage was estimated at 55.1 million acres, up 2 percent from 2017.

“I would like to thank all the farmers for taking the time out of their busy schedules to respond to the surveys,” Ellison added. “The more farmers we have responding to our surveys, the more accurate data we can provide for the agricultural industry. I wish them a very prosperous and healthy year.”

To view the complete Acreage report, visit https://release.nass.usda.gov/reports/acrg0618.pdf. To view the complete Grain Stocks report, visit https://release.nass.usda.gov/reports/grst0618.pdf. For more information, call the NASS Virginia Field Office at 800-772-0670.

LISA M. FERGUSON is a USDA Public Affairs specialist for the National Agricultural Statistics Service of the USDA. Contact her at  502-907-3209 or Lisa.Ferguson@nass.usda.gov.