Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service

Gene Danekas, Director

For Immediate Release: March 31, 2005


March Acreage Intentions for 2005

(COLUMBIA, MO) - Missouri farmers reported their first plans for the
upcoming growing season in a survey conducted by the Missouri
Agricultural Statistics Service. "Producers indicate they planted
substantially less winter wheat but hope to plant more soybeans,
corn, cotton and rice than last year, while holding the acreage
levels for sorghum and hay unchanged," said Gene Danekas, Director,
Missouri Agricultural Statistics. "Although fuel and fertilizer
continue to trend upward, producers are looking at long range price
predictions as a positive factor." Nationally, corn acreage is
expected to be up 1 percent from last year while a 2 percent decline 
is indicated for soybeans.

Soybean planted acres in Missouri in 2005 are expected to total 5.1
million, up 2 percent from the level of the past 2 years. Due to the
discovery of Asian soybean rust in the United States, producers were
also asked if it would influence their planting decisions. Most
soybean growers were aware of a potential rust problem but only a
small minority of respondents indicated it would affect their
plantings.

Missouri farmers intend to plant 3.1 million acres of corn in 2005,
up 5 percent from last year and 7 percent more than in 2003.

Sorghum is expected to be planted on 150,000 acres in Missouri,
unchanged from 2004 but 30 percent below the level of 2 years ago.

Winter Wheat plantings in Missouri are estimated at 700,000 acres,
33 percent below the planted acres for last year's crop but
unchanged from the December forecast.

Cotton producers in Missouri intend to plant 410,000 acres of cotton
this year, 8 percent above last year and 3 percent more than in
2003.

Rice is expected to be planted on 206,000 acres in Missouri this
year, up 5 percent from 2004 and 17 percent more than in 2003.

Missouri tobacco acres are projected at 1,400, down 3 percent from
2004 but unchanged from 2 years ago.

Hay is expected to be harvested from 4.35 million acres in Missouri,
unchanged from last year's record high level but 2 percent above
2003.


United States Intended Plantings

United States soybean producers intend to plant 73.9 million acres
in 2005, down 2 percent from last year's record high acreage. Of the
31 soybean producing States, growers in 16 States intend to plant
fewer acres this year, while producers in 11 States intend to plant
more acres than in 2004. The largest acreage declines are in the
Dakotas, where low soybean prices have some farmers shifting to
other crops.

Corn planted area for all purposes in the U.S. is estimated at 81.4
million acres, up 1 percent from 2004 and 4 percent above 2003. If
realized, this would be largest corn acreage since 1985. Expected
acreage is up from last year throughout much of the Corn Belt and
southern Great Plains. However, growers in most States in the Delta,
Southeast, and northern Great Plains intend to decrease their corn
acreage as producers are switching to other more profitable crops.

All cotton plantings for 2005 in the U.S. are expected to total 13.8
million acres, 1 percent above last year. Upland acreage is expected
to total 13.5 million acres, also up 1 percent. Producers in
Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, and Texas intend to
decrease acreage from last year. Growers in all other cotton
producing States intend to increase planted acreage, with the
largest increase being in California.

All wheat planted area in the U.S. is expected to total 58.6 million
acres in 2005, down 2 percent from 2004. If realized, this would be
the lowest planted acreage since 1972. Winter wheat planted area for
the 2005 crop is 41.6 million acres, down 4 percent from 2004. Of
the total, about 30.5 million acres are Hard Red Winter, 6.6 million
acres are Soft Red Winter, and 4.5 million acres are White Winter.
The 2005 other spring wheat planted acreage is estimated at 14.4
million, up 4 percent from last year. Of the total, about 13.7
million acres are Hard Red Spring wheat. Area planted to Durum wheat
is intended to total 2.61 million acres, up 2 percent.

The 2005 intended sorghum area planted for all purposes in the U.S.
is estimated at 7.40 million acres, down 1 percent from last year.
Sorghum acres declined from last year in seven States, but increased
in ten States. The largest acreage declines are expected by growers
in Kansas and Nebraska, which will combine for a decrease of 460,000
acres.

Area intended for rice in 2005 in the U.S. is estimated at 3.36
million acres, up less than 1 percent from 2004 and up 11 percent
from 2003. Growers in California and Texas intend to plant fewer
acres compared with last year, while the remaining producing States
expect an increase in acreage from 2004.

U.S. all tobacco area for harvest in 2005 is expected to be 319,860
acres, down 22 percent from both 2004 and 2003. If realized, this
will be the lowest harvested acreage on record. The previous low of
369,000 acres occurred in 1868.

U.S. producers expect to harvest 62.9 million acres of all hay in
2005, up 2 percent from last year. The two States with the largest
expected increases are New York, which is up 470,000 acres from last
year, and South Dakota, which is up 300,000 acres.


Corn and Soybean Stocks Up Sharply From A Year Ago

Soybean stocks in all positions in Missouri on March 1, 2005 totaled
78.8 million bushels, double the low level of a year earlier and the
highest for this date since 1987. Stocks on farms accounted for 51
million bushels, 3.6 times as much as a year ago, while beans in
commercial facilities in the State totaled 27.8 million bushels, up
9 percent from March 1, 2004.

Missouri corn stocks on March 1 totaled 193 million bushels, 67
percent above a year ago and also the highest for this date since
1987. On-farm stocks at 130 million bushels were up 83 percent from
March 1, 2004, while off-farm stocks increased 41 percent to 62.6
million.

March 1 wheat stocks in Missouri amounted to 15.8 million bushels, 6
percent less than a year ago. Wheat on farms totaled 600,000
bushels, equal to last year's level for this date, while commercial
facilities held 15.2 million bushels, 6 percent less than a year
earlier.

Sorghum stocks in the State on March 1 totaled 5.72 million bushels,
64 percent above a year earlier. Of the total, sorghum on farms
accounted for 3.2 million bushels and off-farm facilities held 2.52
million bushels.

Missouri rough rice stocks in all positions on March 1 totaled 4.33
million cwt, 19 percent above a year earlier.

United States soybean stocks stored in all positions on March 1,
2005 totaled 1.38 billion bushels, up 52 percent from March 1, 2004.
Soybean stocks stored on farms are estimated at 795 million bushels,
up 123 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at 586 million
bushels, are up 7 percent from last March.

Corn stocks in all positions in the U.S. on March 1, 2005 totaled
6.75 billion bushels, up 28 percent from March 1, 2004. This is the
highest March 1 stocks level since 1988. Of the total stocks, 4.14
billion bushels are stored on farms, up 37 percent from a year
earlier. Off-farm stocks, at 2.62 billion bushels, are up 17 percent
from a year ago.

All wheat stored in all positions in the U.S. on March 1, 2005
totaled 981 million bushels, down 4 percent from a year ago. On-farm
stocks are estimated at 305 million bushels, up 18 percent from last
year. Off-farm stocks, at 676 million bushels, are down 11 percent
from a year ago.

U.S. grain sorghum stored in all positions on March 1, 2005 totaled
203 million bushels, up 28 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks,
at 33.4 million bushels, are up 59 percent from last year. Off-farm
stocks, at 170 million bushels, are up 23 percent from March 1,
2004.

Rough rice stocks in all positions in the U.S. on March 1, 2005,
totaled 119 million hundredweight (cwt), up 35 percent from the
total on March 1, 2004. Stocks held on farms totaled 37.6 million
cwt, and off-farm stocks totaled 81.2 million cwt. Milled rice
stocks in all positions in the U.S. totaled 5.42 million cwt, 14
percent below the comparable figure a year ago.