Minnesota CORN acreage is estimated at 7.8 million acres, planted for all purposes, according to the Minnesota Field Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This is down 7 percent from last year’s record level of 8.4 million acres. An estimated 7.25 million acres are expected to be harvested for grain.

SOYBEAN acreage in Minnesota is estimated at 7.1 million acres planted, up from 6.25 million acres planted last year.

SPRING WHEAT planted in Minnesota is estimated at 1.8 million acres, up 6 percent from last year.

WINTER WHEAT acreage is estimated at 70,000 acres, an increase of 5,000 acres from 2007.

SUGARBEETS account for an estimated 425,000 acres, a decrease of 61,000 acres from 2007.

OAT planted acreage, estimated at 230,000, is down 15 percent from last year.

BARLEY acreage, at 130,000 planted acres, is unchanged from 2007.

CANOLA growers planted 18,000 acres, down 13,000 acres from last year.

The state’s ALL SUNFLOWER acreage, at 127,000 acres, is down 3 percent from last year. FLAXSEED acreage is estimated at 5,000 acres, up 1,000 acres from last year.

ALFALFA acreage decreased 4 percent from last year to an estimated 1.1 million acres. OTHER HAY acreage is estimated at 600,000 acres, down 18 percent from 2007.