Heavy rain over the weekend and more in the forecast may slow fieldwork in the days ahead, but US producers made good corn and soybean planting progress this past week.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report showed nationwide corn planting advanced 15 points from a week earlier to reach 27% complete as of Sunday, while soybean planting gained 10 points on the week to 18% complete.
The planting of both crops also remains ahead of last year and 5 points ahead of the five-year average for corn and 8 points ahead for soybeans.
Last week’s progress was slightly better than expected, with pre-report trade guesses for corn and soybean planting coming at 26% and 17% complete.
In the No. 1 production state of Iowa, corn planting jumped 26 points on the week to 39% complete as of Sunday, ahead of 24% last year and 28% on average. The Illinois corn crop was 25% planted, up from 11% a week earlier and on par with the state average but 9 points behind last year. Progress in Indiana was more limited, with corn planting advancing just 6 points on the week to 8% done, behind 17% last year and 13% on average.
The Michigan corn crop was 4% planted as of Sunday, up from 1% a week earlier and 1 point behind average, while Ohio was right on the state average at 6% complete, versus 0% the previous week. The North Dakota corn crop was 6% planted, 4 points ahead of average.
Soybean planting in Illinois gained 15 points from a week earlier to 26% complete as of Sunday, ahead of 18% on average, while Iowa was 13 points ahead of average at 25% complete, up from just 8% a week earlier. The Indiana soybean crop was 8% planted, compared to 2% a week earlier and 9% on average.
The Michigan and Ohio soybean crops were both 7% planted as of Sunday, both a single point ahead of the state average. No soybean planting was yet reported in North Dakota.
Across the country, 7% of the US corn crop had emerged as of Sunday, a gain of 4 points on the week and ahead of 5% last year and 4% on average.
According to World Weather Inc., eastern sections of Oklahoma and Texas into Missouri, west-central, and central Illinois received up to 5 inches of rain with local amounts of 6 to more than 9 inches for the three-day period ending this morning.
With more rain on the way, World Weather said there may be limited opportunity for further planting over the next week to 10 days.
