US farmers expect to plant less corn in 2026, according to a USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service news release published on March 31. The agency said producers intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn this year, down 3% from last year. In the same release, USDA said soybean acreage is expected to reach 84.7 million acres, up 4% from 2025.
The report matters because it offers one of the first official survey based signals for the new crop season. USDA said the estimates are based on surveys collected during the first two weeks of March from nearly 74,000 farm operators across the country. That gives farmers, grain handlers, and traders an early benchmark for how acreage may be split among major crops before planting moves further ahead.
Corn acreage is expected to fall in many major states
USDA said corn planted acreage is expected to decline in 37 of the 48 estimating states. The release said acreage decreases of 300,000 acres or more are forecast in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. That points to a broad retreat in corn area rather than a change limited to just one part of the country.
The release also said some states could still set records at opposite ends of the range. If realized, Nevada and Washington would post their largest corn planted area on record, while Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island would record their smallest corn planted area on record. The official USDA news release is available here USDA NASS news release.
Soybean acres rise while wheat plantings move lower
For soybeans, USDA said acreage increases of 300,000 acres or more are expected in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The release also said Wisconsin is expected to reach a record high for soybean acreage. That combination suggests soybeans may pick up a meaningful share of land in several key producing areas this year.
The same USDA release said all wheat planted area for 2026 is estimated at 43.8 million acres, down 3% from 2025. Winter wheat planted area was estimated at 32.4 million acres, down 2% from both last year and the previous estimate. Other spring wheat was pegged at 9.42 million acres, down 6%, while durum wheat was estimated at 1.95 million acres, down 11%. The underlying acreage publication can be reviewed here Prospective Plantings report.
Grain stocks were also higher in the same USDA update
The March 31 release also highlighted the quarterly Grain Stocks report as of March 1. USDA said corn stocks totaled 9.02 billion bushels, up 11% from a year earlier. Soybean stocks were reported at 2.10 billion bushels, up 10%, and all wheat stocks reached 1.30 billion bushels, up 5% from the same date in 2025.
Those stock levels add another layer to the acreage outlook because they suggest larger supplies were already in storage before the 2026 planting season moved into full gear. USDA also said durum wheat stored in all positions totaled 46.5 million bushels, up 21% from a year earlier. For related market context, readers can also see Agroinformacion.
Why this first planting signal matters for 2026?
The release does not explain why growers are shifting acreage, but it clearly shows that the crop mix may look different this year. Corn would still remain the largest row crop by planted area, yet the new estimate points to fewer corn acres and more soybean acres across the country. That balance can shape expectations for supplies, prices, and regional planting decisions in the months ahead.
USDA also said all cotton planted area is expected to total 9.64 million acres, up 4% from last year. Taken together, the acreage and grain stocks figures give the farm sector an early official read on how the 2026 season may start. The official release was published by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service in its newsroom on March 31, 2026.