DENVER — As spring planting season approaches, Delaware farmers and agricultural producers across the nation are grappling with challenging economic conditions including depressed commodity prices and escalating input costs while making crucial decisions about their crop selections.
A new analysis from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange predicts that soybeans will capture a larger portion of American agricultural land in 2026, while farmers are expected to reduce planted acres of corn, wheat, grain sorghum, cotton and rice compared to the previous year.
The banking cooperative’s report forecasts U.S. soybean plantings will jump nearly 6 percent this season, with the crop drawing acreage away from multiple competing commodities.
Growing domestic processing capacity for soybeans and anticipated sustained demand from Chinese markets have pushed soybean prices to more competitive levels relative to alternative crops.
“Following recent price rallies, soybeans offer greater profit potential than corn, wheat, sorghum, cotton and rice,” said Tanner Ehmke, lead grains and oilseeds economist with CoBank. “Beyond price signals, crop rotation needs will also play a role. Following a big year for corn in 2025 in which acres climbed to the highest level in decades, more corn acres will be available to rotate to soybeans. And with record supplies of corn in storage, farmers will look to rotate into other crops to diversify their marketing risk. Soybeans currently offer the best marketing opportunities.”
The banking network’s analysis projects U.S. soybean plantings will climb 5.9% compared to last year, reaching 86 million acres as the crop attracts acreage from various other commodities.
Market performance for soybeans has outpaced most competing crops due to expectations that the EPA will establish higher renewable fuel requirements and China will maintain its purchasing patterns. In southern growing regions, soybeans are anticipated to capture acres from cotton, rice and corn production, while Midwest and Central Plains wheat and corn ground will transition to soybean production. The Northern Plains represents an exception, where soybean pricing remains pressured by reduced Chinese export activity, leading producers to favor corn plantings over soybeans.
Total U.S. corn plantings are forecast at 94 million acres, representing a 4.8% decrease from the previous year. Despite the overall reduction, corn acreage will expand in western states, taking ground from wheat, grain sorghum and soybeans due to more consistent demand patterns compared to crops affected by trade disruptions.
In the Northern Plains, weakened soybean pricing will motivate producers to convert soybean ground to corn. Multiple seasons of strong corn performance have demonstrated that corn varieties are well-suited to Northern Plains conditions.
Spring wheat plantings are projected to decline 1 percent to 9.89 million acres due to inferior yield potential and profitability compared to corn. The ongoing westward expansion of corn production typically reduces wheat acreage.
U.S. durum wheat acres are expected to drop 3 percent to 2.12 million acres. After last year’s increase in durum production reached the highest level in eight years, abundant supplies in both the U.S. and Canada have significantly weakened durum prices relative to other crops.
Grain sorghum plantings are forecast to fall 5% to 6.31 million acres as Central Plains farmers choose more corn or soybeans in their rotations due to wide sorghum pricing discounts. U.S. sorghum inventories have reached four-year highs following last year’s larger harvest.
CoBank’s analysis indicates U.S. cotton planted acreage will decrease to 9.19 million acres, falling 1% year-over-year to the lowest level in 11 years. Southern cotton acres will shift to soybeans, while irrigated Plains cotton ground will move to corn production.
Total U.S. rice planted acreage is projected at 2.83 million acres – the lowest in three decades and a 20% year-over-year decline. Among major commodities, rice carries the highest planting costs and has experienced disproportionate price pressures. Subsidized Indian rice is saturating global markets while increased South American rice exports are displacing U.S. shipments in key markets like Mexico.
