RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- Virginia farmers expect to plant more soybeans, corn and other crops this year than they did in 2011.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says soybean plantings are expected to increase by 30,000 to 590,000.
Corn producers expect to plant 500,000 acres, an increase of 10,000 acres.
Peanut plantings are projected to increase by 7,000 acres to 23,000.
Producers of flue-cured tobacco expect to increase plantings from 19,500 acres in 2011 to 21,000. Burley tobacco plantings are expected to increase by 700 acres to 2,700.
But fire-cured tobacco plantings are expected to decline by 50 percent to 350 acres.
Farmers' projections released Monday were in response to a recent survey conducted by the National Agriculture Statistics Service.
