“Demand for corn is ferocious": Analysts prepare for corn acre increase this year

Ag analysts are preparing for a significant increase in corn acres this year.

Frequent Market Day Report guest Jim McCormick says data coming early next week is expected to show high demand.

“The demand for corn is ferocious,” he explained. “There are some genetics in certain areas that actually run out because that demand is so strong. And hence, that’s what we think, when it’s all said and done on the 31st, they’re gonna come in at least at 95.39 million acres.”

McCormick says it all boils down to profit, which is something corn has more potential for than soybeans.

Related Stories
Lower freight costs helped sustain export demand amid a challenging pricing environment.
Producers across the country spent the week balancing spring planning with tight margins and uneven moisture outlooks. Input purchasing stayed cautious, while marketing and cash-flow decisions remained front and center for many operations.
Federal assistance has helped, but the most recent row-crop losses remain on producers’ balance sheets.
Strong supplies and rising stocks point to continued price pressure unless demand accelerates.
Seasonal price patterns can inform soybean marketing timing, particularly when harvest prices appear unusually strong or weak.
Low prices are painful now, but production response could support stronger milk markets later in 2026.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Bottom line: Despite all the efforts advocates make, workers are still making less money.
Harvested acres are estimated at 90.0 million, making this year’s corn crop one of the largest since the 1930s.
China has been largely absent from U.S. markets lately, but not when it comes to cotton. It’s a buy that, traders say, isn’t surprising given China’s limitations.
The North Carolina Farm Bureau highlights the work being done on Sound Mind Farms, a farm producing hemp to make sustainable fabrics.
U.S. producers are holding off on equipment investments amid financial pressure, market uncertainty, a rising demand for diesel, and growing desperation for trade wins.