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Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Bad weather delays soybean, corn planting and sprouting

Midwest farmers are significantly behind in planting due to heavy rains and flooding, and that means the nation's corn and soybean crops are significantly behind schedule.

As of Tuesday, corn planting nationwide is only 58% complete, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest Crop Progress Report. The five-year average for this time of year is 90%. "Soybean plantings in the 18 states that represent 95% of the 2018 soybean acreage are only 29% complete, vs. the five-year average of 66%," Bill Spiegel reports for Successful Farming.

"As of Sunday, corn planting was just 35%, 22%, and 76% complete in Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa, respectively – three states that account for the bulk of the nation’s corn crop," Spiegel reports. "In the last five years, the crop in those states was 95%, 85%, and 96% complete by this time, signaling that farmers have a long way to go to get the 2019 crop in the ground."

Planting is one thing, emergence is another. According to five-year averages, by this time 69% of the nation's corn crop has sprouted; this year, it's 32%. "Emergence in Illinois, Indiana. and Iowa are 20%, 10%, and 42%, compared with the five-year averages of 84%, 65%, and 77%," Spiegel reports.

Soybeans, which are usually planted later, are farther behind. "Iowa has 32% of its crop planted, well off the five-year pace of 77%," Spiegel report. "Illinois has just 14% of its crop planted, compared with 70% from 2014-18; and Indiana is just 11% complete, vs. its five-year average of 63%." The five-year average for emergence of soybeans at this point in the season is 66%, but this year it's 11%.

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