Washington, D.C. ? The nation’s soybean crop is on track for its best year ever, and the corn crop is expected to be the second-best, the Agriculture Department said Thursday.

Prices are continuing to rise, according to the monthly crop report. The soybean price forecast rose 50 cents from last month, to $5.40 to $6.40 a bushel, and the corn price forecast rose 40 cents, to $2.80 to $3.20 a bushel.

Farmers are likely to plant more acres in corn next year because of vigorous demand for ethanol, said Keith Collins, chief economist for the department. More than half the nation’s corn surplus is expected to evaporate, according to the report.

Soybean production is forecast at 3.2 billion bushels, up from 3.19 billion bushels last month and 3.06 billion bushels last year.