US Farmers Called to "Plant Every Acre They Can This Spring"

January 24, 2011
Watertown Daily Times

Grain production shortages around the world and high grain prices are calling for American farmers to plant every acre they can this spring, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Farmers will need to sow an additional 10 million acres to boost supplies of several crops. Supplies are expected to drop to 15-year lows for corn and more than 40-year lows for soybeans, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Corn is trading at about $6.40 a bushel and soybeans at more than $14 a bushel, the Journal reported. Although the prices may dampen demand somewhat, low global supply will require the largest U.S. planting in a decade.

Analysts are calling for 327 million acres to be planted, which will require converting animal grazing pastures to cropland, sowing marginal lands, in some cases planting an acre twice in the same year and planting under questionable weather conditions.

North and South Dakota may have 3 million acres that could be added; the same is true of a region from southern Illinois to Arkansas.

So long as the prices remain high, the incentive to plant extra will be strong. It presents a challenge for crop farmers this spring.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20110124/OPINION01/301249975