Corn and soybean acreage has increased since 1990, while fewer acres are planted with wheat

Since 1990, combined acreage planted to corn, wheat, soybeans, and upland cotton in the United States has ranged from 219 million to 242 million acres. Starting in the 1990s, policy changes increased planting flexibility provided to farmers. These changes have allowed farmers to respond to market signals in their cropping choices. Over the past 10 years (2012–22), the combined annual planting acreage for these crops has maintained a higher average (236 million acres) than the prior decade (228 million acres). Since 1990, the three highest combined annual planting totals for these crops occurred in 2012, 2014, and 2018. Acreage dropped in 2019, mostly as a result of a large decrease in the planting of soybeans. Wheat planted area total has been on a steady decline since around 1996.

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