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Analyst calls totality of prevented planting the 10 million-acre question

A farm management analyst calls the totality of prevented planting in the U.S. this year the 10 million-acre question.

Kent Thiesse with MinnStar Bank in southern Minnesota says he’s not sure if anyone has a good handle on how many acres will be enrolled.

“Based on the USDA report numbers that we got first of all through the WASDE report in the middle of June, and then the end of June in the acreage report, it’s kind of left a lot of people guessing.”

What is somewhat clear, he says, is where the most prevented planting acres will be.

“As we go across southern Minnesota, there is a fair amount of Prevent Plant acres, but not huge chunks. Certainly out further into southwest Minnesota, parts of South Dakota, northwest Iowa, and then the Eastern Corn Belt, a lot bigger chunks.”

Thiesse anticipates total prevented planting acres will fall somewhere between 7 and 10 million acres.

USDA undersecretary Bill Northey said earlier this week claims are already over the $100 million mark and he expects that number to climb above $1 billion.