Sacramento — The USDA-NASS, Pacific Regional Field Office today released the forecasts of field crop plantings for 2015. These forecasts, of acreage planted and to be planted, are based on a survey of more than 2,500 farmers in the region, conducted the first two weeks of March. The impact of weather and/or market conditions since the survey began is not reflected in this report.
Barley – California farmers had planted or intend to plant 70.0 thousand acres of barley, down 12 percent from the previous year.
Beans, Dry Edible – Seeding of dry edible beans was planned for 50.0 thousand acres in California, up 4 percent from last year. California farmers intend to plant 8.6 thousand acres of large chickpeas, 8 percent below the acreage seeded in 2014.
Corn – California farmers were expecting to plant 430 thousand acres of corn for all purposes in 2015, a 17 percent decrease from last year. Nevada producers intend to plant 4,000 acres of corn, unchanged from a year ago.
Cotton – California farmers were intending to plant 45.0 thousand acres of Upland cotton in 2015, down 21 percent from the acreage seeded in 2014. In addition, growers were expecting to seed 110 thousand acres of American Pima cotton in 2015, down 29 percent from last year.
Hay, All – California producers intend to harvest hay from 1.23 million acres, down 11 percent from last year. Nevada hay growers plan to harvest 340 thousand acres, 21 percent less than a year ago.
Oats – Farmers in California had planted or were expecting to plant 120 thousand acres of oats, up 9 percent from last year.
Rice – California farmers intend to seed rice on 408 thousand acres, 6 percent below the acreage seeded in 2014. The expressed intentions were to seed 375 thousand acres of medium grain varieties, 5 percent below last year. The long grain rice acreage forecast is 2.0 thousand acres, down 2,000 acres from last season. The short grain rice planted acreage forecast is 31.0 thousand acres, a decrease of 11 percent from a year ago. Short grain and all rice forecasts include the intended plantings of sweet rice.
Sugar Beets – California producers had planted or intended to plant 25.0 thousand acres of sugar beets, up 3 percent from the acreage seeded in 2014.
Sunflower – California farmers were expecting to plant 42.0 thousand acres of sunflowers for oil, down 5 percent from last year, and 2,000 acres of non-oil sunflowers, 1,000 acres less than in 2014.
Sweet Potatoes – California farmers were expecting to plant 18.0 thousand acres of sweet potatoes in 2015, down 5 percent from the acreage planted last year.
Wheat – Acreage seeded to Winter wheat is forecast at 430 thousand acres in California, down 7 percent from last year. Another 60.0 thousand acres have been seeded to Durum wheat, 71 percent above the amount planted in 2014. Nevada wheat producers have seeded 10.0 thousand acres to Winter wheat, a decrease of 33 percent, and plan to seed 5,000 acres of Spring wheat, a decrease of 1,000 acres from a year ago.