Missouri Agricultural Statistics Service

Gene Danekas, Director

For Immediate Release: June 30, 2005

Missouri Corn and Soybean Acreage Up

(COLUMBIA, MO) - "Missouri farmers got into the fields at the normal
time this spring but they managed to complete planting of virtually all
crops ahead of schedule," said Gene Danekas, Director, USDA-Missouri
Agricultural Statistics. "Although some localities had excessive rain,
farmers in most areas were able to plant as much acreage of each crop as
they intended."

Corn plantings are indicated at 3.1 million acres, based on a survey of
producers completed in early June. This is 5 percent more than last year
and 7 percent above 2 years ago. Corn planting progressed at normal pace
through much of April, while more favorable weather in May helped
progress surge to a week ahead of normal. Corn acres for grain are
forecast at 3.0 million, 4 percent more than 2004. As of June 26, most
of the crop was in good to excellent condition with 19 percent silked.

Planted soybean acres in Missouri are indicated at 5.1 million, 2
percent above 2004. Harvested acres are expected to total 5.05 million,
also 2 percent above 2004. Soybean planting progressed well ahead of
normal during May and June with virtually all acres planted as of June
26, except for double-crop beans following wheat.

Missouri winter wheat producers are expected to harvest 570,000 of the
650,000 acres planted last fall. If realized, the harvested acreage
would be down 39 percent from last year and equal the record low set in
1986. As of June 27, the wheat harvest was 70 percent complete, 2 days
ahead of average over the State and nearing completion in the
southeastern counties. Planted acres of sorghum in the State are
estimated at 125,000, a 17 percent decline from last year, and the
lowest since 1951. Sorghum to be harvested for grain is forecast at
120,000 acres, also 17 percent less than 2004.

Cotton planted acres are estimated at 430,000, up 13 percent from last
year's level. Thirty-four percent of the cotton was squaring as of June
26, well behind normal. Planted area of rice in the State this year is
estimated at 196,000 acres, unchanged from last year but 11 percent
above 2003. Potatoes planted in Missouri are estimated at 6,000 acres,
down from 6,900 acres last year.

Seeded acres of oats in Missouri are estimated at 35,000, up 35 percent
from 2004. Oat acres to be harvested for grain are indicated at 20,000,
up 54 percent from last year. Tobacco farmers set 1,400 acres of
tobacco, down from 1,450 acres last year. Total area of all hay to be
harvested in Missouri this year is estimated at 4.1 million acres, 6
percent below the 2004 hay acreage.

United States Corn Planted Acreage Up, Soybean Acreage Down

Corn planted area for all purposes in the United States is estimated at
81.6 million acres, up 1 percent from 2004 and 4 percent above 2003.
This is the largest corn acreage since 1985, when 83.4 million acres
were planted for all purposes. Growers expect to harvest 74.4 million
acres for grain, up 1 percent from 2004. Farmers responding to the
survey indicated that over 99 percent of the corn acreage had been
planted at the time of the interview compared with the average of 97
percent for the past 10 years. Corn farmers in the 10 major corn
producing States (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) planted 64.9 million acres,
an increase of 2 percent from the 63.6 million acres planted last year.
The largest increases occurred in Illinois and Kansas, each with 350,000
more acres than a year ago.

The U.S. soybean planted area is estimated at 73.3 million acres, down 3
percent from last year. Area planted decreased or was unchanged from
last year in all States except Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York,
North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas. Area for harvest is
forecast at 72.4 million acres, down 2 percent from 2004. Growers in the
eleven major soybean producing States (Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and
South Dakota) planted 59.9 million acres, down 2 percent from 2004.

All U.S. wheat planted area is estimated at 58.1 million acres, down 3
percent from 2004. Harvested area is expected to total 50.4 million
acres, up 1 percent from last year. The 2005 winter wheat planted area,
at 41.4 million acres, is 4 percent below last year and down less than 1
percent from the previous estimate.

Area planted in the U.S. to sorghum in 2005 is estimated at 7.01 million
acres, down 6 percent from 2004. Area harvested for grain is forecast at
6.03 million acres, down 7 percent from last year.

All U.S. cotton plantings for 2005 are expected to total 14.0 million
acres, 3 percent above last year. Upland acreage is expected to total
13.8 million acres, also up 3 percent.

Area planted to rice in the U.S. 2005 is estimated at 3.31 million
acres, 1 percent below last year's planted acreage. Area for harvest is
estimated at 3.29 million acres, also 1 percent below last year's area
harvested.

Missouri Grain Stocks Up From Last Year

Missouri soybean stocks in all positions on June 1, 2005 totaled 38.7
million bushels, almost twice as many bushels stored a year earlier.
On-farm stocks totaled 25 million bushels, while 13.7 million bushels
were held in commercial facilities.

Total corn in all positions in the State on June 1 amounted to 117.6
million bushels, more than twice the amount stored a year earlier.
On-farm stocks accounted for 81 million bushels, while off-farm corn
totaled 36.6 million bushels.

June 1, 2005 stocks of old-crop wheat in Missouri totaled 10.6 million
bushels, 17 percent more than a year earlier. There were 400,000 bushels
on farms and 10.2 million bushels were held off-farm.

Sorghum stocks in Missouri on June 1 totaled 2.8 million bushels, 38
percent above a year ago. Sorghum on farms accounted for 1.3 million
bushels, while 1.5 million were in commercial facilities.


United States Corn and Soybean Stocks Up Dramatically from June 2004,
All Wheat Stocks Down 1 Percent

Corn stocks in all positions in the United States. on June 1, 2005
totaled 4.32 billion bushels, up 45 percent from June 1, 2004. This is
the highest June 1 stocks level since 1988. Of the total stocks, 2.46
billion bushels are stored on farms, up 60 percent from a year earlier.
Off-farm stocks, at 1.86 billion bushels, are up 30 percent from a year
ago. The March - May 2005 indicated disappearance is 2.44 billion
bushels, compared with 2.30 billion bushels during the same period last
year.

Soybeans stored in all positions in the U.S. on June 1, 2005 totaled 700
million bushels, up 70 percent from June 1, 2004. On-farm stocks totaled
356 million bushels, up 224 percent from a year ago. Off-farm stocks, at
344 million bushels, are up 14 percent from the previous year. The March
- May 2005 indicated disappearance is 682 million bushels, up 38 percent
from the same period a year earlier.

All wheat stored in the U.S. all positions on June 1, 2005 totaled 540
million bushels, down 1 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks are
estimated at 161 million bushels, up 22 percent from last year. Off-farm
stocks, at 379 million bushels, are down 9 percent from a year ago. The
March - May 2005 indicated disappearance is 445 million bushels, down 6
percent from the same period a year earlier.

Grain sorghum stored in the U.S. all positions on June 1, 2005 totaled
104 million bushels, up 29 percent from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at
16.0 million bushels, are up 109 percent from last year. Off-farm
stocks, at 88.4 million bushels, are up 21 percent from June 1, 2004.
The March - May 2005 indicated disappearance from all positions is 99.2
million bushels, up from 78.1 million bushels during the same period a
year ago.

Oats stored in all positions in the U.S. on June 1, 2005 totaled 58.0
million bushels, 11 percent below the stocks on June 1, 2004. Of the
total stocks on hand, 25.4 million bushels are stored on farms, 8
percent lower than a year ago. Off-farm stocks totaled 32.6 million
bushels, 13 percent below the previous year. Indicated disappearance
during March - May 2005 totaled 24.5 million bushels, compared with 30.2
million bushels from the same period a year ago.