U.S. soybean acreage for 2006 is projected to rise 7 percent over last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The department released its prospective plantings report March 31. It suggests fewer corn and wheat acres to be planted this spring.
It is a different story in Minnesota. Spring wheat acres were estimated at 1.95 million acres, which would be 250,000 more than last year.
Minnesota corn and soybean acreages for 2006 are unchanged from 2005 at 7.5 million and 7.3 million acres, respectively.
Minnesota soybean acreage is projected at 484,000 acres, equal to 2005 but down 2,000 acres from 2004.
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U.S. soybean acres are projected at 76.9 million acres this year. That would be the largest amount planted on record.
USDA said the largest acreage increase is in North Dakota, where record high yields in 2005 and high input costs have some farmers shifting acreage from other crops to soybeans.
Other large increases in soybean acreage are forecast for Illinois (600,000 acres) and Indiana (500,000 acres).
U.S. corn acres are forecast at 78 million acres, which would a 5 percent decline from 2005 and 4 percent below 2004. USDA attributes the decline to high fertilizer and fuel costs.
Hard red spring wheat acreage nationwide for 2006 is projected at 13.2 million.
