Dr. Alan Blaine, extension agronomist at Mississippi State University, said although there were no major surprises in the acreage estimates, actual plantings will hinge on the weather.
Weather always influences crop acreages.
The biggest change from 1994 is in cotton acreage. USDA economists expect Mississippi growers to plant 220,000 more cotton acres in 1995. They also expect the national cotton crop to increase by 2.47 million acres. Dr. Bob Williams, interim state leader of the extension agriculture and natural resources program at MSU, said the cotton acreage increase was expected because of the recent higher prices and the zero acreage reduction provisions. In 1994, cotton growers were eligible for government assistance programs if they set aside 11 percent of their cotton base acres.