WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Some Kansas farmers have chosen to plant more acres of soybeans this year and less acres of corn.
The swap happened amid shifting commodity prices and input costs.
U.S. crop producers were expected to plant about 3.5 million fewer acres of corn and about 3.5 million more acres of soybeans in the 2026-27 cycle, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Bigger than balloons: Helium shortage hitting vital industries, Kansas geologist says
Doug Scheer, Eastern Division seed manager for the Kanza Coop, said he’s seen this play out firsthand, with about 10% of his unit sales across four counties switching from corn to soybeans this planting season.
Trends like this one were caused by several factors, including slightly higher profitability expectations for beans than corn, according to Kansas State agriculture economist Greg Ibendahl. He said the change reflects how farmers are forced to reevaluate their plans each year.
“Farmers are pretty adaptable, and they grow whatever crops are going to work for them,” Ibendahl said. “[Their plans] can vary a lot depending on the prices, how much profitability they see.”
Kansas farmer hoping for more rain as dry weather threatens wheat harvest
Scheer said the impact could widen, especially with big hikes in nitrogen fertilizer prices over the past few weeks due to the war with Iran. The country is one of the largest global exporters of the product, which is vital for corn crops.
Scheer said many farmers who plant large quantities of corn avoided war-related price increases because they paid for fertilizer before the conflict began, but if prices don’t significantly drop, those producers could be forced to change their 2027 planting strategy.
“If a guy has 2,000 acres of corn and suddenly his cost goes up 50 bucks an acre from fertilizer costs, I mean that’s $100,000,” Scheer said.
For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV.
