2022 planting decisions have puzzled producers, waiting to see if things change. If it rains, if the war ends, and if costs of production lower. The time of questioning is coming to an end, tractors have been finely tuned over the winter, fresh oil, tanks topped off with 4$/gallon diesel and we are ready to go! Now what to plant? Some will stick with their rotations; some will try and capture advantageous contracts. Over 15 options with Chickpeas, Lentils, Green Peas, Yellow Peas, Flax, Spring Wheat, Winter Wheat, Canola, Barley, Alfalfa, Hemp, Safflower, Forage, Camelina, Fallow, and Durum, all offering pros and cons when selecting. All we can say, is rain, snow, ice, squall we want it all.
The Montana Wheat and Barley highlights of the 2022 USDA Prospective Planting Report:
- Barley: 1,050,000 Acres (940,000 Acres 2021)
- Durum: 840,000 Acres (670,000 Acres 2021)
- Winter Wheat: 2,050,000 Acres (1,950,000 Acres 2021)
- Spring Wheat: 3,050,000 Acres (2,900,000 Acres 2021)
And the winner of this year’s prospective planting March Madness is: Executive Vice President Cassidy Marn! Only off by 315,000 acres total. Jason Laird and Sam Anderson being close to 1 million acres off in their predictions
Click Here to see the staff’s guesses
The rest of Montana’s Crops:
All Principal Area: 19,697,000 Acres (19,471,000 2021)
Corn: 115,000 Acres (120,000 2021)
Oats: 60,000 Acres (60,000 2021)
Hay: 2,450,000 Acres (2,290,000 2021)
Canola: 170,000 Acres (185,000 2021)
Flax: 110,000 Acres (135,000 2021).
Sugar beets: 43,000 Acres (43,700 2021)
Chickpeas: 140,000 Acres (175,000 2021)
Lentils: 580,000 Acres (530,000 2021)
Dry Edible Pea: 600,000 Acres (570,000 2021)
On a national level all eyes look to corn planting now down 4%, soybeans up 4% as crusher anticipation weights heavy, wheat up 1% and cotton up 9%. As expected, the market reacted accordingly, corn up, wheat down with a roller coaster to follow.