May 06, 2015
U.S. Corn Planting Surges Past 50% with Good Weather
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn - U.S. farmers have now planted 55% of the 2015 corn crop compared to 28% last year and 38% average. As expected, good planting progress was made last week in the western Corn Belt with less progress in the eastern Corn Belt. Corn planting in the western Corn Belt (Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska) is now approximately 62%, which is twice the average pace of 30%. In the eastern Corn Belt states of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, the corn crop is 34% planted compared to an average of 33%.
The area that remains furthest behind in corn planting continues to be the mid-South states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri where 46% of the corn has been planted compared to an average of 58%.
The corn planting pace will probably slow down this week as wet weather moves across the Corn Belt, but it has already surpassed the benchmark of 50% planted by May 10th with a week to spare! Corn emergence is a little behind the average at 9% compared to the average of 12%, but the emergence will accelerate with warmer than normal temperatures this week.
Soybeans - Farmers are now also actively planting their soybeans with 13% already planted compared to an average of 9%. Once again, the fastest soybean planting is occurring in the western Corn Belt where 15% of the soybeans have been planted compared to the average of 5%. In the eastern Corn Belt 7% of the soybeans have been planted compared to the average of 9%.
For both the corn and soybean crops in the U.S., I think the growing season is getting off to a very good start. Fifty five percent of the corn and 13% of the soybeans have been planted and now we have warm and wet weather which should encourage quick germination and emergence.