[Agriculture Fact Book 98]

2.    Structure of U. S. Agriculture

Acreage Harvested of Major Crops

The harvested acreage of corn in recent years has varied from 51.5 million acres in 1983 to 75.2 million acres in 1985. Wheat acreage has ranged between a high of 80.6 million acres in 1981 to a low of 53.2 million acres in 1988. Barley and oat acreage harvested have been declining since the early 1970's. Acreage has tended to shift away from barley and oats to the more profitable crops. Soybean acreage harvested has fluctuated as the relative prices of soybeans and corn changed and as prices for soybeans in the world market were more or less favorable. Soybean harvested acreage in 1997 of nearly 70 million acres was the second highest on record. Increased planting flexibility provided under the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996, as well as favorable relative prices, caused many farmers to expand soybean plantings in 1997.

Figure 2-2Figure 2-3

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