Growers in Illinois and Iowa showed the largest decrease in soybean acreage from last year, down 1.75 million acres and 1.35 million acres, respectively. Department of Agriculture forecast a huge increase in corn acreage from its March report and a big drop in soybean acreage. Farmers reported that 99% of the intended corn acreage had been planted at the time of the survey interview, which is slightly above the average for the past 10 years. Nationally, farmers reported that 88% of the...

The market briefly soared to its upper 50-cent trading limits on the tighter supply outlook, with traders adding premium amid the risks associated with weather on the crop and the need to ration demand longer term, analysts said. Nearby contracts retreated on the higher-than-expected 2007 corn planted acreage estimate from the USDA, technical selling and long liquidation, analysts said. The acres data is also down 3.059 million acres from the March intentions estimate of 67. Profit taking,...

New Delhi: Prices of edible oil in India are likely to remain around current levels with a good crop expected this year, a senior industry official said on Monday (2 July) We expect the price situation to be comfortable and stable and a good crop ahead, the official told Reuters after meeting India s food secretary. Last week, the agriculture ministry said 1.3 million hectares had so far been planted with summer-sown oilseed crops, adding that as monsoon rains advanced into key growing...

For western Kentucky grain farmer Bill Clift, last week's soaking rains came just in time for his drought-stressed corn crop. Farmers elsewhere in Kentucky also benefited from rains that could prop up yields in the autumn and possibly rejuvenate stagnant pastureland and hay fields to feed hungry cattle. The report Monday said 61 percent of the soybean crop was in good or excellent shape, up from 50 percent in the two categories a week earlier. Still, the state's crops showed signs of...

Department of Agriculture report predicted corn growers would plant 90. Many farmers switched to planting corn at the expense of soybeans. According to Friday's report, the soybeans planted area is estimated at 64. That's the lowest planted and harvested area for soybeans since 1995. Fueled by high demand and high prices for corn, farmers planted an estimated 92. That was well above an earlier government estimate and was 15 percent more than in 2005. Numbers for wheat planting were up,...

But two other crops, switchgrass and hybrid poplar, could steal the show in the future when it comes to curbing greenhouse gases, according to Agricultural Research Service and collaborating scientists. Corn and soybeans may be the current "go-to" crops for producing ethanol and biodiesel, respectively. John Thune has his way, there will be incentives for farmers to produce switchgrass, fast-growing trees and other cellulosic crops and to deliver them to an emerging network of cellulosic...