After two years of disruptions in crop production, growers intend to make up the difference this year with additional acres of corn and soybeans. That means additional crop protection and health products as well as seed.
U.S. row crop growers intend to plant 97 million acres of corn in 2020, up 8 percent from 2019, according to the Prospective Plantings report, released by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released March 31, 2020.
Growers also intend to plant 83.5 million acres of soybeans in 2020, up 10 percent from last year. If realized, this would be the third largest planted soybean acreage on record.
Sorghum acres are also on the rise, especially in state leaders like Kansas and Texas. Growers intend to plant 5.82 million acres of sorghum for all purposes in 2020, up 11 percent from last year. Oats and barley also saw an increase in the number of acres farmers intend to plant.
But the report also showed how the late and complicated harvest of 2019 left long tail winds in the wheat market.
Wheat planted area for 2020 is estimated at 44.7 million acres, down 1 percent from 2019. This is the lowest of all wheat planted area since records began in 1919.
Winter wheat planted area, at 30.8 million acres, is slightly down from the previous estimate and down 1 percent from last year. This is the second lowest planted acreage on record.
All other spring wheat classes are 1 percent lower for 2020, and durum wheat is 4 percent lower.
The planted area for cotton in 2020 is expected to be down slightly to a total of 13.7 million acres.
HERBICIDES, FUNGICIDES STILL IN DEMAND
These changes in year-to-year intentions are still to be considered estimates, according to U.S. agricultural media outlets. In a year already experiencing some disruptions in trade and supply, farmers will be focused on making each acre count.
However, you only need to look back at 2019 to see how growers’ intentions didn’t translate into actual acres planted due to excess rainfall, flooding and adverse weather factors through the season. And, as Todd Hultman on DTN.com reminds us, the spring flood outlook again puts much of the Corn Belt in a moderate flood risk zone this spring.
Farmers will need to keep a close eye on seed treatment packages, fungicides and herbicides to get timely emergence.
Pulling acres out of conservation or pushing crops to marginal land is unlikely, analysts say.
On AgWeb, Matt Bennett with AgMarket.net said, “Price still matters. With crop insurance price being more than a dime below last year, even though we’re getting a lit[tle] bit of backing off of fertilizer and diesel fuel prices I don’t think guys will be super excited on fringe or marginal acres.”
Herbicide applications will need to be timely and offer multiple modes of action, experts say. Crop protection investments will not be an area where growers can cut back on.
In the CropLife State of the Industry Report and Buying Intentions Survey earlier this year, growers indicated they will demand more fertilizer sources and fertilizer stabilizers in 2020, largely to make up for 2019 losses.
According to respondents last year, they were planning to increase their spending for crop health and protection products by more than 1 percent in only two segments — herbicides and fungicides. The rest of the segments were projected to be flat for most ag retailers.
Farmers were also less willing to invest in seed genetics compared with 2019 responses, as they try to keep expenses in check.
UPL OFFERS SOLUTIONS FOR GROWERS
Despite the many trade, economic and production challenges growers face this spring, the USDA data shows they are willing to plant additional acres and will need crop protection products to support maximizing yield on each acre. The UPL portfolio offers growers a wide selection of high-quality products at every stage of the crop cycle to achieve their goals.
For additional advice on how to navigate the upcoming 2020 season, contact your local UPL sales representative or visit www.upl-ltd.com/us.
