According to the USDA 2013 Prospective Plantings report, farmers intend to plant a little more corn and a little less soybeans this year, for a total of 174.4 million acres.

“This will be the highest total amount of acres for those two crops that we have on record,” said USDA chief economist Joe Glauber.

Corn growers intend to plant 97.3 million acres of corn for all purposes in 2013, up slightly from last year and 6 percent higher than in 2011. If realized, this will represent the highest planted acreage in the United States since 1936 when an estimated 102 million acres were planted. “While farmers struggled with drought last year, they remain resilient and dedicated to producing an abundant corn crop in 2013,” National Corn Growers Association First Vice President Martin Barbre said. “This report shows that the innovative American farmer understands the increasing global demands of corn for food, feed, fuel and fiber and that they see the importance of meetings those needs.”

The majority of acres gained lie outside of the traditional Corn Belt, with only Minnesota, North Dakota and Ohio projecting increased acreage planted to corn within that area. Acres planted to corn outside of the Corn Belt made gains in Arkansas, Georgia, Texas and Mississippi. Final planting projections remained close to last year’s acreage as Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Dakota all project planting at least 100,000 fewer acres than in 2012, with Illinois projecting acres planted to corn will drop by 600,000 acres from 2012. The actual number of planted acres will be released in USDA’s June 28 report.

Soybean acres are estimated at 77.1 million acres, down slightly from last year but the fourth highest on record.