Mar 24, 2026
2026 U.S. Crop Acreages - 93.5 mac for Corn, 86.0 mac for Soybeans
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
As we approach the 2026 planting season in the U.S., it is estimated that U.S. farmers will plant 93.5 million acres of corn and 86 million acres of soybeans. In 2025, U.S. farmers planted 98.8 million acres of corn and 81.2 million acres of soybeans. The USDA will release their Prospective Planting report on March 31st.
The 2026 U.S. crop acreage estimates have been impacted by the conflict in the Middle East and the resulting increased cost of fertilizers. The most significant impact has been on nitrogen fertilizer which is essential for corn production. There is a direct relationship between the amount of nitrogen applied and the potential corn yield. If farmers trim their nitrogen application in order to save money, there could be a negative impact on corn yields.
Phosphate fertilizers are more important for soybeans, but not as critical as nitrogen is for corn. Farmers could save money by reducing their phosphate and other fertilizer applications for soybeans and "mine" the existing soil fertility. If the weather cooperates during the growing season, there may not even be a yield reduction, but it would reduce the probability of having an outstanding soybean yield.
At the start of the growing season, trend line yields are generally assumed, but that may not be the case this year if fertilizer prices remain elevated. If farmers reduce their fertilizer rates 10-20% for corn due to costs, there could be an equivalent reduction in yield, but that would depend on the weather during the growing season. An equivalent reduction of fertilizer used for soybeans would not have as much of an impact as it would for corn.