American Farmers Increase Corn Planting Due to Trade Tensions

Agricultural producers in the United States are actively preparing for the start of spring planting, which is the fastest in the country’s history. Special monitoring projects, such as Crop Watch, track the condition of 22 corn and soybean fields across nine states, including Iowa and Illinois. This marks the eighth consecutive year that these producers and locations have participated in such monitoring, and since 2021, the number of participants has increased to 11.

This is reported by AgroReview

As of the last week, Crop Watch has already planted nine of the 22 planned fields, the highest number for this date in the project’s history. It is noted that among them are five corn fields and four soybean fields. However, planting rates may slow somewhat due to expectations that the topsoil will dry out after recent rains. The next planting campaign is scheduled for next week.

Impact of Trade Tensions on Planting Plans

The decline in soybean prices is already prompting U.S. farmers to adjust their planting plans—some are shifting acreage from soybeans to corn and barley. In particular, producers from North Dakota and Kansas are partially replacing sorghum and soybean plantings with corn, driven not only by domestic demand but also by reduced exports to Russia and other countries. According to U.S. data, a record 95.3 million acres of corn are planned to be planted in 2025—this is the highest since 2012, which may indicate an increase in planting areas at the expense of soybeans.

At the same time, the speed of planting remains high. According to the USDA, as of Thursday, 12% of corn and 8% of soybeans have been planted, which corresponds to the average annual figures over the past five years and even exceeds them. Different regions are experiencing varying situations: for example, in South Dakota, the rapid pace is due to dry weather, while in Illinois, heavy rains have caused planting to fall behind schedule.

Forecasts and Major Challenges for Farmers

Producers in Crop Watch consider weather conditions to be the main issue ahead of the 2025 season. Although production costs remain stable, falling raw material prices require high yields to achieve profitability. Summer forecasts predict a potential drought in the western areas of the corn belt, which could negatively impact yields.

Weather is expected to remain a key factor for a successful harvest, and farmers are actively monitoring changes in climate and U.S. trade policy, which also raises concerns. Forecasts and yield ratings, as well as field photographs, will be updated weekly to accurately reflect the situation in the country’s agricultural markets.