June 30, 2017

USDA - NASS Press Release

N.C. Farmers to Plant More Cotton and Peanuts for 2017

RALEIGH, N.C. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the Acreage and Grain Stocks reports today, showing North Carolina farmers intend to plant less corn and sweet potatoes, but more cotton and peanuts this year.

=         Corn plantings are expected to total 880,000 acres in 2017; down 12% from 2016.

=         Cotton growers intend to plant 360,000 acres in 2017; up 29% from last year.

=         Flue-cured tobacco growers expect to harvest 160,000 acres in 2017; down 5,000 acres from 2016.

=         Burley tobacco growers expect to harvest 900 acres in 2017; down 10% from last year.

=         Soybean plantings, at 1.7 million acres, are expected to increase 1% from 2016.

=         Peanut growers intend to plant 120,000 acres in 2017; up 19% from the planted acreage in 2016.

=         Sweet potato growers intend to plant 83,000 acres; 15,000 less acres than last year.

=         Hay producers expect to cut 715,000 acres in 2017; up 4% from 2016.

=         Winter wheat plantings totaled 470,000 acres; up 12% from last year.

“We work to provide accurate, timely and useful data to the agricultural community,” said Dee Webb, North Carolina state statistician. “We couldn’t do that without our farmers, and we recognize this is a hectic time, so credit for the acreage data goes to the farm operators who responded to the June Agricultural Survey. These data are important to farmers as they make marketing plans, to those agribusinesses supplying farmer’s inputs, and it helps North Carolina agriculture remain viable and capable.” 

NASS gathered data for the June Agricultural Survey earlier this month. Growers provided information on crop acreage, grain stocks, livestock inventory, cash rents, land values, and value of sales. These surveys make available an objective snapshot of agricultural crop acreages, grain stocks, and other agricultural production in North Carolina.

All reports are available on the NASS website: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Calendar/reports_by_date.php.