By DTN Staff

This article was originally published at 11:04 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, March 31. It was last updated with additional information at 11:20 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, March 31.

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OMAHA (DTN) -- Farmers intend to plant 95.3 million acres of corn and 84.7 million acres of soybeans in 2026, USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service said on Tuesday. Both are within the range of pre-report expectations, although the corn estimate is toward the high end while soybeans are toward the low end.

USDA released its Prospective Plantings and quarterly Grain Stocks reports on Tuesday.

Tuesday's USDA acreage estimates were neutral for corn, moderately bullish for soybeans and bullish for wheat, according to DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery. Grain Stocks estimates from USDA were neutral for corn, neutral to slightly bearish for soybeans and neutral for wheat, he said.

Stay tuned throughout the morning and refresh this page often. We will be sending a series of updates with the important highlights from Tuesday's reports, including commentary from our analysts.

You can also view the full reports here:

-- Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks: https://www.nass.usda.gov/…

PROSPECTIVE PLANTINGS

Corn planted area, estimated at 95.3 million acres, is down 3.45 million from 2025. USDA said it expects acreage to be down or unchanged in 37 of the 48 states that it forecasts.

For soybeans, acreage is expected to climb 4% from last year to 84.7 ma. Acreage is expected to be up or unchanged in 20 of the 29 estimating states.

All wheat planted area is estimated at 43.8 million acres, 3% below 2025 and, if realized, would be the lowest all-wheat planted acreage since records began in 1919. Winter wheat planted area is forecast at 32.4 ma, with hard red winter accounting for 23.1 ma; soft red winter, 5.79 ma; and white winter, 3.54 ma. Spring wheat acreage is forecast at 9.42 ma, down 6% from last year, with hard red spring accounting for 8.78 ma of the total. Farmers are expected to plant 1.95 million acres of durum wheat, down 11% from last year.

Cotton acreage is expected to climb 4% from last year to 9.64 ma.

QUARTERLY GRAIN STOCKS

Corn stocks in all positions on March 1 totaled 9.02 billion bushels, up 11% from a year ago. Of total stocks, 5.43 billion bushels were stored on farms, up 21% from a year earlier. Off-farm stocks were 3.59 billion bushels, down 2% from last year. The December 2025--February 2026 indicated disappearance, or usage, was 4.28 billion bushels, compared with 3.93 billion bushels for the same quarter a year ago.

The quarterly stocks for corn are a record for March, going beyond 2018's 8.9 billion bushels.

Soybeans stored in all positions on March 1 were 2.1 billion bushels, up 10% from March 1, 2025. Of all stocks, 900 million bushels were stored on farms, up 3% from last year. Off-farm stocks were 1.2 billion bushels, up 16% from last year. The indicated usage from December 2025-February 2026 totaled 1.18 billion bushels, down 1% from the same period a year ago.

All wheat stored in all positions on March 1 was 1.3 billion bushels, up 5% from last year. On-farm stocks were estimated at 289 million bushels, down 3% from last March. Off-farm stocks, at 1 billion bushels, are up 8% from last year. The December 2025-February 2026 indicated usage is 377 million bushels, up 12% from the same quarter a year ago.

Durum wheat stocks in all position on March 1 totaled 46.5 million bushels, up 21% from a year ago. On-farm stocks, at 30.2 million bushels, are up 40% from a year ago. Off-farm stocks totaled 16.3 million bushels, down 4% from last year. The December 2025-February 2026 indicated usage is 14.9 million bushels is 17% below the same period last year.

Grain sorghum stored in all positions on March 1 was 172 million bushels, up 15% from a year ago. On-farm stocks were 23.5 million bushels, up 58% from last year. Off-farm stocks at 149 million bushels, are up 10% from a year ago. The December 2025-February 2026 indicated usage is 86.1 million bushels, 38% higher than the same quarter last year.

Barley stocks in all positions on March 1 totaled 92.9 million bushels, down 10% from a year ago. On-farm stocks are estimated at 42.6 million bushels, down 4% from last year. Off-farm stocks are pegged at 50.3 million bushels, 14% lower than a year ago. The December 2025-February 2026 indicated usage totaled 27.9 million bushels, 94% above the same period last year.

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Join us for DTN's post-report webinar at 12:30 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, March 31, as we discuss USDA's new estimates in light of recent market events. Questions are welcome, and registrants will receive a replay link for viewing at their convenience. Register here for Tuesday's USDA Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks webinar: https://www.dtn.com/….

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