Virginia farmers to plant 30,000 more acres in soybeans in 2018

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services announced the first indications of crop acreages for the 2018 growing season. The estimates came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

“The March 1 survey showed soybean farmers intend to plant 30,000 more acres than in 2017,” said Herman Ellison, Virginia state statistician. “Corn farmers intend to plant the same acreage as last year.”

Soybean acreage in Virginia is expected to total 630,000 acres, up 30,000 acres from the previous year.

Farmers in Virginia intend to plant 500,000 acres of corn, unchanged from 2017.

Barley seeded by Virginia farmers in the fall of 2017 totaled 40,000 acres, up 10,000 acres from previous year.

Winter wheat seeded by Virginia farmers in the fall of 2017 totaled 230,000 acres, up 20,000 acres from previous year.

Upland cotton acreage in Virginia is forecast at 80,000 acres, down 4,000 acres from 2017. Peanut acreage in Virginia is expected to total 23,000 acres, down 4,000 acres from the previous year.

Flue-cured tobacco growers in Virginia intend to set 23,000 acres, up 1,000 acres from 2017. Producers intend to set 280 acres of dark-fired tobacco in Virginia, up 10 acres from the previous year. Acreage set to burley tobacco was estimated at 1,100 acres, unchanged from 2017.

Farmers in the state intend to harvest 1.17 million acres of all hay, down 35,000 acres from 2017.

“I would like to thank all the farmers for taking the time out of your busy schedules to respond the March Agricultural Survey,” Ellison added. “The more farmers who respond to our surveys, the more accurate data we can provide for the agricultural industry. I wish them a very prosperous and healthy year.”

To view the complete report, visit release.nass.usda.gov/reports/cropan18.pdf.