Mississippi farmers are expected to plant fewer acres of major row crops such as corn and rice in 2026, according to new data released on April 21 by the United States Department of Agriculture. The USDA’s Prospective Plantings report shows that while corn, rice, and cotton acreage will decline in the state, soybean planting is forecast to rise significantly.
This shift comes amid ongoing challenges from falling commodity prices and higher production costs for growers. Analysts say these trends reflect broader difficulties facing agriculture across the country this year.
According to the report, Mississippi growers intend to plant about 630,000 acres of corn in 2026—a decrease of 31% from last year. Rice acreage is projected at just 80,000 acres, which represents a drop of more than half compared with the previous season. Cotton planting is also expected to fall by around 9%. In contrast, soybean acreage is forecast at approximately 2.3 million acres—a jump of nearly one-third over last year’s figure.
Will Maples, an agricultural economist with Mississippi State University Extension Service, said some markets have shown modest improvement this winter: “We have seen a decent rally in soybean and cotton prices this winter. Margins are still expected to be tight, but things are slightly better,” Maples said. “Last year, tariff uncertainty weighed on soybean prices and contributed to reduced acreage in Mississippi. This winter, soybean prices have strengthened, making them more competitive relative to other crops.”
However, input costs—especially for fertilizer and fuel—remain a concern for many producers due in part to volatility caused by conflict in the Middle East. “The main issue is the potential disruption through the Strait of Hormuz…so disruptions there can tighten global supplies and push prices higher,” Maples said.
DTN Progressive Farmer reported significant increases for key fertilizers like urea (up by about one-third) and anhydrous ammonia (up by one-fifth) during March compared with February levels.
Steve Martin from MSU Extension noted: “You use natural gas in the process of making nitrogen-based fertilizer…if you’ve got petroleum fuels going up it’s going raise prices.” Martin added that high shipping costs contribute further: “Right now…the high cost of shipping as well as fuel…is contributing…”
Maples explained that these increased input costs particularly affect crops like corn that require more fertilizer: “Higher fertilizer costs can influence planting decisions…particularly for crops like corn that are more input-intensive.”
Other changes include hay harvests dropping by roughly one-tenth from last season; intended wheat acreage rising modestly; peanut production set for a sharp decline; while rice production will be halved compared with last year.
The Prospective Plantings report offers a snapshot based on surveys conducted each March but does not account for later shifts due to weather or price changes during planting season.
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