Colorado farmers holding back on corn plantings
Colorado farmers intend to plant less corn than last year, USDA estimates show
DENVER (AP) -- Farmers around the country collectively intend to plant more corn this year, but growers in dry Colorado are holding back.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's spring planting survey showed U.S. farmers intend to plant 97.3 million acres of corn this year, which would be the most since 1936.
Agriculture officials said Thursday that Colorado farmers only intend to plant an estimated 1.25 million acres of corn, which is 12 percent below their plantings last year.
The U.S. Drought Monitor shows all of Colorado is experiencing some level of drought. A large portion of southeastern Colorado is experiencing exceptional drought, which is considered the most extreme condition on the U.S. Drought Monitor's five-level scale.
Statewide mountain snowpack was 78 percent of average as of Thursday.
