USDA recently released its fi rst planting estimates for the 2006 crops. Comparing these estimates to the planting intentions gathered in March of this year, corn acreage increased while soybean acreage declined. For corn, Iowa plantings rose by 200,000 acres and national acreage increased by 1.35 million acres. Soybean plantings fell by 300,000 acres in Iowa and by 1.97 million acres nationally