Prevalence of Corn and Soybeans across the Midwest
Relative acres of corn and soybeans vary across Illinois. Northern Illinois has more corn than soybeans acres and southern Illinois has more soybean than corn acres (see farmdoc daily, October 13, 2020). We provide more information on corn relative to soybean acres across the Midwest in this article. As acreages shift across the nation, this will serve as useful background.
Corn and Soybean Ratios Across the Midwest
Acres planted to corn and soybeans were obtained for Crop Reporting Districts (CRDs) from Quick Stats
Several areas have values above 2.5. The upper part of lower Michigan has several CRDs with values above 2.5. Central South Dakota, central Nebraska, and western Kansas have higher values.
Values above 2.0 are predominant in Wisconsin. A line of CRDs from northeast Wisconsin, northwest Illinois, to northeast Iowa had ratios above 2.0. Then values tend to become lower for CRDs away from this line. Similarly, there is a line of high ratios in central Nebraska and western Kansas. Ratio values tend to decline the further Nebraska CRDs were away from this line in central Nebraska.
Two areas have ratios below 1.0. CRDs in North Dakota, South Dakota, and upper Minnesota have values below 1.0. Ratios also tend to be below 1.0 from Ohio, through eastern and southern Indiana, southern Illinois, Missouri, and eastern Kansas.
For CRDs east of the Mississippi, higher ratios are associated with northern CRDs. Ratios then decrease for more central CRDs, reaching lower levels in more southern CRDs. The same holds for southern Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri.
Why the differences?
- Prevalence of livestock and dairy. Corn may have more acres where livestock and dairy have traditionally been more prevalent. Wisconsin, for example, has dairy and higher values of corn acres relative to soybean acres.
- Prevalence of irrigation. Irrigation may influence decisions and economics of corn versus soybeans. Corn is more prevalent where more acres are irrigated in Nebraska and Kansas.
Summary
References
Schnitkey, G., N. Paulson, K. Swanson and J. Coppess. “Acreage Shifts in Illinois.” farmdoc daily
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