At the start of April, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service released the planting intentions for South Carolina for 2024 and as you might expect some crops are projected to see increases and some will decrease.

• Overall, our principal crops acreage forecast is down, reflecting national trends for 2024.

• We have less corn and soybean anticipated for 2024, coming off of record yields in 2023.

• Corn is expected to be down slightly from 2023, with 300,000 acres. Soybean plantings are expected to be at 350,000 acres, down by 45,000 acres from 2023.

• 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.

• South Carolina’s planted peanut acreage is expected to be up from 2023, at 85,000 acres for 2024. That is up 10 percent 2023.

• Cotton: cotton planted intentions are up 14 percent from last year at 240,000 acres

• 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.