LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released the Acreage and Grain Stocks reports today, showing the Commonwealth’s 2019 corn planted at 1,650,000 acres, up 23 percent from last year.
“This is the highest number of acres planted since 2012, when there were 1,650,000 acres planted,” said David Knopf, director of the NASS Eastern Mountain Regional Office in Kentucky. “Too much rain was the big news story this year, but producers were able to plant most of their intended corn acres. Planting progress ran close to the 5-year average early in the season, before rains in the latter half of May slowed the pace. Those same rains interfered with soybean planting, tobacco setting and hay harvest, but growers made progress as weather allowed.”
Acres harvested for grain was estimated at 1.55 million acres, up 320,000 acres from last year. The U.S. corn planted for all purposes in 2019 was estimated at 91.7 million acres, up 3 acres from last year. Growers expect to harvest 83.6 million acres for grain, up 2 percent from last year.
Soybeans planted in Kentucky were estimated at 1.70 million acres, down 300,000 acres from 2018. Acres harvested for grain, at 1.69 million acres, was 300,000 acres below acres a year ago. U.S. soybean planted area for 2019 was estimated at 80.0 million acres, down 10 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 79.3 million acres, is down 10 percent from 2018.
Winter wheat seeded acreage in Kentucky was estimated at 460,000 acres, 10,000 acres above the previous year. Acreage harvested for grain was estimated at 320,000 acres, 20,000 acres above 2018. The U.S. Winter wheat planted area was estimated at 31.8 million acres, down 2 percent from 2018. Area harvested for grain was forecast at 24.9 million acres, up 1 percent from last year.