The USDA prospective plantings report is out and it forecasts Minnesota farmers planting 8.6 million corn acres in 2014, which would be the same number of corn acres planted throughout the state in 2013.

Nationally, 91.7 million acres are projected to be corn. That’s down 4 percent from last year and the lowest in the United States since 2010. However, it’s still the fifth-highest total since 1944.

Soybean acres are estimated to be up 6 percent to 81.5 million acres. Minnesota farmers are slated to plant 7.4 million soybean acres, up 10 percent from last year’s 6.7 million acres.

The USDA report also highlighted how the coldest winter since 1978-79 hit Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Whatever you end up planting on your farm this spring, here’s hoping the weather warms up sooner rather than later and your planting season goes as smoothly as possible.