LIVE: USDA Acreage Report Shows More Corn Than Expected, Soybeans In Line With Estimates
Corn acres exceeded expectations at 95.3 million, while soybeans came in at 85.4 million. USDA also reports 5.29 billion bushels of corn and 1.06 billion bushels of soybean stocks on June 1.
USDA has released its much-anticipated June Acreage report. The “big picture” takeaway: Corn acres held steady from March despite expectations of a drop, soybeans and cotton exceeded intentions and wheat took a significant hit.
Here are the official USDA numbers you need to know:
- Corn. 95.3 million acres. While down 3% from 2025, this is unchanged from March intentions and remains the 4th highest acreage since 1944. Harvested acres are pegged at 87.4 million.
- Soybeans. 85.4 million acres. This is up 5% from last year and higher than the March estimate of 84.7 million. Gains were seen in 23 of 29 soybean-producing states.
- All Wheat. 42.7 million acres. This is a notable drop from the 43.8 million projected in March and down 6% from last year. (Winter Wheat. 31.5 million | Other Spring Wheat: 9.39 million | Durum: 1.83 million, down 16%)
- All Cotton. 9.85 million acres. This is up 6% from 2025 and higher than the 9.64 million acres projected in March.
Corn Acreage Holds Steady From March, Down 3% From Last Year; Gains Seen in Arkansas and Mississippi
USDA’s June Acreage survey shows U.S. farmers planted 95.3 million acres of corn in 2026, down 3% from 2025 and unchanged from the March Prospective Plantings report.
Despite the decline, corn acreage remains historically strong, ranking as the fourth-highest since 1944. USDA estimates 87.4 million acres will be harvested for grain, down 4% from last year.
While national acreage held steady from March, USDA found some regional shifts. Farmers in 10 states increased plantings compared to March intentions, with the biggest gains in Arkansas and Mississippi, where dry planting conditions likely influenced final acreage decisions.
Overall, the June report confirms corn acreage largely tracked March intentions, with only modest regional adjustments.
Wheat, Corn Lead Gains After USDA Data
Wheat and corn futures were leading the way higher after USDA data. While corn acres came in higher than expected at 95.343 million, above the average trade estimate and not far off the March 31 Prospective Plantings figure, stocks were 5.29 billion bushels, below the average estimate of 5.408 billion in a pre-report survey by Reuters. December corn was up 5 cents at $4.35 at 11:15 a.m. CT.
USDA put all wheat acres at 42.7 million, down from 43.775 million on March 31 and below the average trade guess of 43.858 million. Old-crop wheat stocks were 920 million bushels, versus expectations for 934 million. September SRW wheat futures rose 8 34 cents, while September HRW was up 13 3/4 cents and September hard red spring wheat gained a dime.
November soybeans caught support from the rally in corn and wheat, up 4 cents. USDA pegged soybean acres at 85.365 million, near the average estimate of 85.369 million and up from the March estimate of 84.7 million. Soybean stocks as of June 1 were 1.06 billion bushels, topping the average forecast of 1.008 billion.
Corn Stocks Come In Below Expectations
USDA said corn stocks in all positions totaled 5.29 billion bushels as of June 1, that’s up 14% from the same time last year but comes in below the average estimate of 5.408 billion bushels in the Reuters survey.
Soybean stocks were 1.06 billion bushels, up 5% from last year and above the average forecast of 1.046 billion.
Old-crop all wheat stocks totaled 920 million bushels, up 8% from a year ago but below the average trade guess of 934 million.
Don’t Snooze On Grain Stocks
The acreage numbers get most of the attention in the runup to report day, but quarterly grain stocks have shown an ability to surprise the market in the past.
Corn is likely to continue to struggle with relatively high ending stocks as end users continue to work through the record setting 17 billion bushels harvested last fall, notes Pro Farmer’s Spencer Langford. Analysts expect corn stocks as of June 1 to be 5.41 billion bushels, the highest since 1988 and up 16% from this time last year.
Soybean and wheat stocks are also expected to be higher from year-ago levels, but to a much milder extent. Soybeans are expected to come in at 1.046 billion bushels, up 4% from year-ago, and wheat is estimated at 934 million bushels, up 9%.
Acreage Shifts Are Normal — But By How Much?
History shows that soybeans typically see the largest change from the March report, notes Pro Farmer’s Spencer Langford in this report preview.
In absolute terms, acres shift 1.39 million acres on average since 1986. The direction they shift is nearly evenly split over the last 40 years, with 23 instances showing an increase and 17 a decrease. Corn sees slightly less volatility on average, and since 1986 sees an average change of 1.02 million acres from the initial forecast.