Southeast Farmers Lean Into Corn in 2026
We talked about cotton acreage in a recent agricultural update here on the air, but let’s take a moment to talk about a crop having a moment in the Southeast.
I was reading an Alabama Farmers Federation recap of the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture Prospective Plantings Report, and it made me pick that report back up and look at it through a new lens. And through that lens, one thing stands out: more corn acres across the region.
In Alabama, farmers are expected to plant 410,000 acres of corn in 2026, a 17 percent increase from last year. Florida is projected to jump 18 percent to 100,000 acres, and Georgia is seeing a modest 2 percent increase after a sharp rise the year before.
Carla Hornady with the Alabama Farmers Federation says the numbers are not set in stone. “Even without global conflicts, there’s always a chance farmers change their intentions on what to plant,” Hornady said.
She adds planting is already underway, and weather will be critical. “We’re already seeing corn go into the ground in many parts of the state, so our most pressing issue is the need for timely rains.”
