Apr 28, 2020
2020 U.S. Planting Pace Leaps Ahead of Average
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The 2020 U.S. corn crop is 27% planted compared to 12% last year and 20% for the 5-year average. This represents an advance of 20% for the week, which is a very good planting week especially for the third week of April. The planting pace is faster in the western Corn Belt where it has been warmer and dryer and it is slower in the eastern Corn Belt where it has been cooler and wetter. The forecast for this week looks similar, warmer and dryer in the west and cooler and wetter in the east.
In the western Corn Belt the corn in Minnesota is 40% planted (19% average), Iowa is 39% planted (20% average), Kansas is 24% (31% average), and Nebraska is 20% (16% average). In the eastern Corn Belt the corn in Illinois is 37% planted (31% average), Indiana is 18% (11% average), and Ohio is 3% (8% average). Corn planting is just getting started in the Dakotas with South Dakota 8% planted (6% average) and North Dakota 0% (4% average).
The 2020 U.S. soybean crop is 8% planted compared to 2% last year and 4% for the 5-year average. This represents an advance of 6% for week, which is also a good planting week especially for the third week of April. The soybean planting is actually a little faster in the eastern Corn Belt than in the western Corn Belt.
In the eastern Corn Belt the soybeans in Illinois are 18% planted (4% average), Indiana is 11% (3% average), and Ohio is 2% (2% average). In the western Corn Belt the soybeans in Iowa are 9% planted (2% average), Nebraska is 8% (2% average), Minnesota is 5% (1% average), and Kansas is 2% (1% average. Soybean planting is just getting started in the Dakotas with South Dakota 1% planted (0% average) and North Dakota is 0% (0% average).
We are still in the month of April, so it is still very early, but I would have to say that the planting is getting off to a good start especially in states such as Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois, which are big producing states.
I am estimating that the 2020 U.S. corn acreage will be in the range of 95 to 96 million acres with a lower bias. My estimate for the 2020 U.S. corn yield is 178.0 to 179.0 bu/ac with a neutral bias. My estimate for the 2020 U.S. soybean acreage is 85 million acres with a neutral to higher bias and I am estimating the soybean yield in the range of 50.0 to 51.0 bu/ac with a neutral bias. In the end, I think the corn acreage may end up below expectations and the soybean acreage may end up above expectations.