Soy, corn and peanut crop acreage projected to increase this season in Virginia

This year's crops for soybeans, corn and peanuts are projected to consume more acreage as compared to last year, according to a press release distributed by the  Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Producers of soybeans are planning to drive up the amount of soybean plantings to 590,000 acres, which would be 30,000 acres more than last year's harvest. The data was gleaned from a survey conducted by the Virginia Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, which is a division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The survey was administered on March 1.

Corn plantings are projected to encompass 500,000 acres, a climb of 10,000 from last year's crops. Growers of peanuts will plant 23,000 acres, which is 7,000 more acres as compared to last year.

But, despite the climbs of that produce, cotton crops will see a reduction in Virginia, an 18 percent decline as compared to last year's figures.

Nationwide, corn planting has gained 4 percent as compared to last year while soybean figures dropped 1 percent. Wheat plantings gained 3 percent and cotton plantings dropped 11 percent.