Growers intend to plant 90.5 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2007, up 15% from 2006 and 11% higher than 2005.  If these figures are realized, this would be the highest acreage since 1944, when 95.5 million acres were planted for all purposes.

 
Expected acreage is up in nearly all States as favorable corn prices, caused by increased demand from ethanol producers and strong exports sales, are encouraging farmers to plant more acres to corn.  The increase in intended corn acres is partially offset by lower expected acres of soybeans in the Corn Belt and Great Plains, and fewer expected acres of cotton and rice in the Delta and Southeast.

 
Illinois farmers intend to plant a record high 12.9 million acres of corn this spring, up 1.60 million acres from last year.  North Dakota and Minnesota growers also expect to plant record high corn acres, up 910,000 and 600,000 acres.

 
Corn farmers in the 10 major corn producing States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) intend to plant 69.5 million acres, up 12% from the 62.2 million acres planted last year.  Iowa continues to show the largest corn acreage at 13.9 million acres, up 1.30 million acres from last year.