U.S. Canola Plantings Slide

WASHINGTON - Mar 31/16 - SNS -- Canola producers in the United States intend to plant 1.75 million acres in 2016, down 2% from 2015, according to the USDA's seeding intentions report for 2016.

Despite the decline, planted area in the United States will be the third largest on record, if realized.

Compared with last year, planted area is expected to decrease in three of the major canola-producing States, with acreage in Oklahoma expected to decrease 50,000 acres from the previous year. Producers in North Dakota, the leading canola-producing State, intend to plant 1.45 million acres this year, an increase of 40,000 acres from 2015.

Canola Area Planted - States and United States: 2014-2016
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                    :                                 Area planted
        State       :-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :       2014        :       2015        :      2016 1/      :    Percent of
                    :                   :                   :                   :   previous year
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    :      ----------------- 1,000 acres -----------------             percent
                    :
Idaho ..............:         35.0                28.0                25.0                89
Kansas 2/ ..........:          (D)                 (D)                40.0               (D)
Minnesota ..........:         15.0                23.0                24.0               104
Montana ............:         63.0                82.0                75.0                91
North Dakota .......:      1,200.0             1,410.0             1,450.0               103
Oklahoma ...........:        270.0               140.0                90.0                64
Oregon .............:         11.0                 4.3                 6.5               151
Washington .........:         51.0                37.0                37.0               100
                    :
Other States 3/ ....:         70.0                52.7                   -               (X)
                    :
United States ......:      1,715.0             1,777.0             1,747.5                98
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-   Represents zero.
(D) Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual operations.
(X) Not applicable.
1/  Intended plantings in 2016 as indicated by reports from farmers.
2/  Beginning in 2016, Kansas is published individually.
3/  For 2014 and 2015, Other States include Colorado and Kansas. Beginning in 2016, Other States is
    discontinued.