The USDA released its annual Prospective Plantings report, giving farmers and analysts a projection of how acreage allocations for most of the major crops will shake out ahead of the new crop season.
Nationally, corn acreage intentions are projected at 95.34 million acres, down 3.45 million from last year, while soybean acreage is expected to rise by 3.49 million acres to 84.7 million, reflecting a rotation shift after the heavy corn plantings of 2025. Analysts were expecting a larger reduction of corn acres and a larger increase of soybean acres.
Winter wheat acreage was reported at 32.41 million acres, slightly below trade expectations, and spring wheat and durum plantings were also smaller than anticipated. The total wheat acres of 43.8 million is a reduction of 3 percent from 2025 and the lowest total for the U.S. since NASS records began in 1919.
Fertilizer and fuel costs continue to influence planting decisions, especially for crops that have higher per-acre input needs. Most crop acres are already committed through rotations and input purchases, but there are still some acres that could shift around depending on both economics and weather.
State Specific Acreage Changes
In the Northern Ag Network listening region, producers responded to the current economics in farming and we’re seeing some significant shifts in acres.
Total wheat acres in Montana and the Dakotas fell by 8-9 percent with winter wheat acres seeing the biggest drops. For Montana, 2026 will be the first year since 2002 that less than 5 million acres of wheat were seeded. The average price of wheat in 2002 was $3.56/bushel, not too different from what it is today when accounting for inflation but input costs have risen dramatically.
Spring wheat and durum acres also moving lower with North Dakota farmers planning to seed less than 5 million acres of spring wheat in 2026. Total durum acres are projected to fall below 2 million acres nationally.
Weather, farming economics, and consumer behaviors have all presented challenges to the barley industry in recent years but surprisingly barley acres are forecast to increase slightly. Total acres estimated up 2 percent and key barley states like Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and North Dakota are projected to see barley acres steady to 4 percent higher.
One crop that is drawing more interest from growers is canola. USDA forecast a 15 percent increase in canola acres nationwide. North Dakota, the top canola producer by a wide margin, is projected to move back above 2 million canola acres. Montana is forecast to see a 23 percent increase to 190,000 acres.
Growers are expected to seed less acres to pulse crops in 2026. After a big jump in pulse acres last year, combined pulse acres are predicted to be down about 10 percent. The biggest drop is in Montana lentil acres, expected to be down more than 200,000 acres year-over-year. The area planted to dry peas is anticipated to be near steady with last year but chickpea acres are predicted down 7 percent, primarily in the PNW.
Montana Crop Plans for 2026
- All Wheat: 5.29 → 4.85 million acres (-8.3%)
- Winter Wheat: 2.25 → 1.9 million acres (-15.6%)
- Durum Wheat: 890,000 → 800,000 acres (-10.1%)
- Spring Wheat: 2.15 → 2.15 million acres (no change)
- Barley: 780,000 → 800,000 acres (+2.6%)
- Oats: 80,000 → 85,000 acres (+6.3%)
- Corn: 145,000 → 140,000 acres (-3.5%)
- Flaxseed: 78,000 → 120,000 acres (+53.9%)
- Sugarbeets: 24,600 → 23,000 acres (-6.5%)
- Canola: 155,000 → 190,000 acres (+22.6%)
- Lentils: 830,000 → 620,000 acres (-25.3%)
- Dry Peas: 690,000 → 710,000 acres (+2.9%)
- Chickpeas: 260,000 → 250,000 acres (-3.8%)
Wyoming Outlook
- All Wheat: 300,000 → 275,000 acres (-8.3%)
- Barley: 71,000 → 72,000 acres (+1.4%)
- Corn: 85,000 → 85,000 acres (no change)
- Sugarbeets: 31,300 → 30,000 acres (-4.2%)
North Dakota Highlights
- All Wheat: 6.43 → 5.84 million acres (-9.3%)
- Winter Wheat: 100,000 → 65,000 acres (-35.0%)
- Durum Wheat: 1.23 → 1.07 million acres (-13.0%)
- Spring Wheat: 5.10 → 4.70 million acres (-7.8%)
- Barley: 450,000 acres (no change)
- Canola: 1.81 → 2.08 million acres (+14.9%)
- Lentils: 185,000 → 155,000 acres (-16.2%)
- Dry Peas: 380,000 → 360,000 acres (-5.3%)
- Chickpeas: 37,000 → 55,000 acres (+48.6%)
South Dakota Crop Plans
- All Wheat: 1.46 → 1.34 million acres (-8.2%)
- Winter Wheat: 780,000 → 690,000 acres (-11.5%)
- Spring Wheat: 680,000 → 650,000 acres (-4.4%)
- Barley: 41,000 → 40,000 acres (-2.4%)
