U.S. corn planting made slow progress this past week due to rain and cool weather with 75% done as of Sunday, up 11 points from a week ago, USDA said on Monday. The planting pace was down from 82% a year ago but up from the 70% average.
Corn emergence was 43%, down from last year’s 48% but up from the 34% average.
Indiana and Ohio continued to lag the western Midwest, with Indiana corn at 45% planted and Ohio at 34%, as rain sidelined planters.
Soybeans were 36% planted nationwide, with Iowa at 43%, Illinois at 29%, Indiana 15% and Ohio at 10%.
“Overcast skies and periods of heavy rains kept the soils too damp for planting in many parts of the state. The southern region received the heaviest rainfall, with some counties accumulating over 3 inches,” the Indiana report said. “Localized flooding occurred throughout the state, which has some concerned about replanting corn and soybeans.”
Conditions were not much better in Ohio, where farmers have been unable to get into fields that are soggy and in some cases had standing water, the Ohio report said.
“Conditions have slowed emergence, and much of what has emerged is stressed. Some areas saw cool enough temperatures to have frost on Sunday morning,” the Ohio report said.
Wet, cold conditions slowed progress in Iowa as well, where there were 2.2 days suitable for fieldwork. However, corn was 97% planted in north central and central Iowa, the Iowa report said. There were reports of frost in low-lying areas, but the state did not say if there was crop damage.
Winter wheat was unchanged at 62% good to excellent. The crop was 68% headed, which was ahead of 65% last year and the 56% average. The Kansas crop improved 3 points to 57% good/excellent, Oklahoma was unchanged at 65% while Texas wheat slipped 1 point to 48%.
Spring wheat planting went to 89% versus 92% a year ago the 64% average. The crop was 60% emerged versus 63% last year and the 36% average. Spring wheat planting in North Dakota, the top spring wheat state, was 87% and emergence at 52%. Both of those were ahead of the five-year averages.
Nationally, sorghum was 33% planted versus 36% a year ago and the 36% average. Cotton was 40% planted versus 32% a year ago and the 39% average.
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