At the beginning of the month the National Agricultural Statistics Service released the 2024 planting intentions for North Carolina with cotton, flue-cured tobacco and soybeans looking to pick up small increases in acreage. Corn, peanut and winter wheat plantings are projected down.

• At the start of April, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the planting intentions for North Carolina for 2024 and as you might expect some crops are projected to see increases and some will decrease.
  
• Cotton, flue-cured tobacco and soybeans acres are expected to be up slightly above 2023, with cotton acreage to be up the most at 3 %.
  
• Cotton acreage is projected to be 390,000 acres.
• Flue-cured tobacco growers are reporting they anticipate planting 114,000 acres, up 1% from 2023.

• And soybean plantings are also expected to be up a modest 1% at 1.65 million acres.
  
• North Carolina corn farmers have indicated they plan to plant 6% fewer acres this year compared to last.
• The state’s projection tracks with expectations for corn production to be down nationally.
• USDA also projects soybean and wheat production to be down nationally.

• North Carolina’s planted peanut acreage is expected to be down 3% at 120,000 acres for 2024.

• Winter wheat planting totaled 410,000 acres, which is down 15% from last year.

• NASS will continue to survey growers in the coming months for an update on planted acreage and we will see if there are any changes.