Minn. corn, soy acreage expected to hold steady

Minnesota farmers plan to plant about as much corn and soybeans as they did last year, but less wheat and sugarbeets.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Wednesday that Minnesota corn growers plan to plant an estimated 7.6 million acres, unchanged from 2009. The state's soybean growers intend to plant an estimated 7.2 million acres, also same as last year.

But spring wheat planting intentions are down 6 percent from last year at 1.5 million acres, and sugarbeet intentions are down 4 percent at 445,000 acres.

Nationally, the projected acreage for corn is up 3 percent from 2009, while soybean acreage is expected to rise less than 1 percent and wheat acreage is forecast to drop 9 percent.

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