Corn crop conditions improve as acres and prices decline

Corn prices are down, and acres in Texas and across the U.S. are expected to follow as improved overall growing conditions could deliver above average yields, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Mark Welch, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension grain marketing economist in the Texas A&M Department of Agricultural Economics, Bryan-College Station, said corn acres were expected to be down, but higher yields are expected thanks to improved soil moisture levels.

Welch said Texas corn acres were expected to drop 16% from 2.5 million acres in 2023 to 2.1 million acres, according to the March Prospective Plantings report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Corn acres in the U.S. were expected to drop 5% to 90 million acres this season. The final national acre total could swing one way or the other by up to 1 million acres, he said.