The April World Supply and Demand report out today from USDA lowers ending stocks for corn, but keeps corn use for ethanol the same.

Corn ending stocks were cut by 40 million bushels “as higher expected feed and residual use more than offsets a reduction in food, seed and industrial use.” Food, seed, and industrial use was lowered 10 million bushels but ethanol remained unchanged at 3.7 million bushels.

However, market analyst Mike Krueger from The Money Farm says that may change next time around. “Ethanol production has been slightly stronger than people expected,” Krueger said during a conference call for the Minneapolis Grain Exchange today. “I think it will depend on how quickly these VeraSun plants get back on line and running. We still have four months or so left in the marketing year for that to happen.”

The lower ending stocks for corn means higher projected prices for the year. USDA is now forecasting the 2008/09 season-average farm price for corn will be $4.00 to $4.40 per bushel, up 10 cents on both ends of the range. This compares with the 2007/08 record of $4.20 per bushel.