USDA projects field crop acreage will decline by 6 million acres over the next decade

Source: USDA news release

Total planted area for the eight major row crops grown in the United States is projected to decline by 2.4 percent (6 million acres) over the next decade, according to USDA's long-term agricultural projections, also referred to as the baseline projections. Overall, the outlook points to a stable-to-softening acreage base dominated by corn and soybeans, with incremental reductions from recent highs as profitability pressures persist.

Image credit - Mark Stebnicki

The acreage of the eight crops--corn, soybean, wheat, upland cotton, oats, rice, sorghum, and barley--is projected to decline from 247.6 million acres for the 2026/27 marketing year to 241.6 million acres by 2035/36. This projected contraction reflects steady to slightly higher crop prices and rising input prices that keep margins tight for most crops.

Image credit - USDA ERS

After reaching 98.8 million acres in 2025/26, corn acreage is projected to drop to 95.0 million acres in 2026/27, before easing to 91.0 million by 2035/36. Soybeans are projected to rise to 85.0 million in 2026/27, the sixth-highest mark historically, but then slip to 83.0 million later in the projection period. Wheat acreage remains flat at 44.0 million throughout the projection horizon, down from 45.3 million in 2025/26, and remaining well below historical levels.