May 08, 2018
U.S. Planting Progress - Corn a little Slow, Soybeans a little Ahead
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn Planting a Little Slower than Average - As of last Sunday, the 2018 U.S. corn crop was 39% planted compared to 45% last year and 44% average. The corn emergence is 8% compared to 14% last year and 14% for the 5-year average.
Corn planting in the central and eastern Corn Belt has caught up a little and I would estimate that it is now only a few days behind average. Corn planting in the northwestern Corn Belt is still approximately 7-10 days slower than average.
The star performer for corn planting progress last week was Illinois where 74% of the corn has been planted (the 5-year average is 56%). The disappointing area for corn planting continues to be the northwestern Corn Belt where farmers in Minnesota have planted 9% of their corn (average is 44%), South Dakota is 6% planted (average is 33%), and North Dakota is 7% (average is 24%). Corn planting in Iowa is running a little behind at 40% (average is 48%) as well as Nebraska at 42% planted (average is 46%).
The temperatures across most of the Midwest are expected to be above average for this week and next week. The hope is that the slower areas can do some catch up in corn planting once the temperatures warm up.
Soybean Planting Ahead of Average Pace - The 2018 U.S. soybean crop is 15% planted compared to 13% last year and 13% for the 5-year average. In the central Corn Belt, Illinois is the star performer once again with 29% of the soybeans planted (average is 12%), followed by Indiana at 23% (average is 9%). The soybean planting pace in Iowa and Nebraska is about average. The soybean planting is the slowest in the northwestern Corn Belt with Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota all at 1% planted.
In the southern states the soybean planting pace is running 6-10% ahead of average.