USDA Weekly Crop Progress

Planting Slips Further Behind Average Pace

Anthony Greder
By  Anthony Greder , DTN/Progressive Farmer Content Manager
Connect with Anthony:
(DTN photo illustration by Nick Scalise)

OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. corn, soybean and spring wheat planting fell further behind their average paces last week as wet, cool conditions persisted in parts of the Midwest and Upper Midwest, according to USDA NASS' weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

As of Sunday, an estimated 23% of the nation's corn was planted, behind 36% at the same time last year and 23 percentage points behind the five-year average of 46%. That was further behind normal than the previous week when corn planting was 12 percentage points behind average.

"Noticeable progress was made in Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas," noted DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. "Key states of Minnesota, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio are well behind the five-year average, and South Dakota has yet to start."

Corn emerged was estimated at 6%, near 7% last year but 6 percentage points behind the five-year average of 13%.

Soybean planting progress also slipped further behind the average pace. As of Sunday, an estimated 6% of the crop was planted, down from last year's 14% and 8 percentage points behind the five-year average of 14%. In last week's report, soybean planting was 3 percentage points behind average.

Soybean planting is still mainly occurring in Southern states, Mantini said. "However, Nebraska is 1 percentage point above the average at 14%, Iowa is at 8% compared to an 11% average, but Minnesota has zero planted compared to a 15% average."

P[L1] D[0x0] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Spring wheat planting, too, continued to fall further behind the five-year average. NASS estimated that 22% of spring wheat was planted as of Sunday, 27 percentage points behind the five-year average of 49%. In last Monday's report, planting was 20 percentage points behind average.

"Idaho and Washington are each 72% done, while little progress is being made in key states, with North Dakota at 13% versus 37% average, Minnesota at only 7% done versus 51% average and South Dakota at 19% compared to a 76% average," Mantini said.

Winter wheat was 29% headed as of Sunday, near last year's 31% but down 12 percentage points from the five-year average of 41%.

Winter wheat condition held steady last week at 64% good to excellent. "However, the portion that was rated 'excellent' dropped by 3 percentage points, moving into the 'good' category," Mantini said.

The condition of the crop in top-winter-wheat-producing state Kansas also held steady from the previous week, at 58% good to excellent. In other major winter-wheat-growing states, 74% of Oklahoma's crop and 63% of Texas' crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition.

"States in the eastern Midwest show poor-to-very-poor winter wheat ratings in the double digits, with key states Illinois at just 38% good to excellent and 20% poor to very poor and Ohio at 30% good to excellent but 30% poor to very poor also."

Sorghum was 22% planted, compared to 29% last year and a five-year average of 29%. Cotton planting was 18% complete, compared to 19% last year and an average of 19%. Rice was 48% planted, compared to 66% last year and an average of 69%. Thirty-five percent of rice was emerged, compared to 42% last year and an average of 50%.

Oats were 50% planted as of May 5, compared to 54% last year and an average of 72%. Oats emerged were at 36%, compared to 33% last year and an average of 51%.

To view weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/…. Look for the U.S. map in the "Find Data and Reports by" section and choose the state you wish to view in the drop-down menu. Then look for that state's "Crop Progress & Condition" report.

National Crop Progress Summary
This Last Last 5-Year
Week Week Year Avg.
Corn Planted 23 15 36 46
Corn Emerged 6 3 7 13
Soybeans Planted 6 3 14 14
Winter Wheat Headed 29 19 31 41
Spring Wheat Planted 22 13 27 49
Spring Wheat Emerged 4 NA 4 19
Cotton Planted 18 11 19 19
Sorghum Planted 22 20 29 29
Barley Planted 37 28 40 56
Barley Emerged 12 6 12 27
Oats Planted 50 43 54 72
Oats Emerged 36 31 33 51
Rice Planted 48 38 66 69
Rice Emerged 35 27 42 50

**

National Crop Condition Summary
(VP = Very Poor; P = Poor; F = Fair; G = Good; E = Excellent)
This Week Last Week Last Year
VP P F G E VP P F G E VP P F G E
Winter Wheat 2 6 28 52 12 2 6 28 49 15 16 21 29 27 7

**

National Soil Moisture Condition - 48 States
(VS = Very Short; SH = Short; AD = Adequate; SP = Surplus)
This Week Last Week Last Year
VS SH AD SP VS SH AD SP VS SH AD SP
Topsoil Moisture 1 6 61 32 1 7 65 27 8 18 63 11
Subsoil Moisture 1 6 65 28 1 6 69 24 9 19 63 9

Anthony Greder can be reached at anthony.greder@dtn.com

Follow him on Twitter @AGrederDTN

(AG)

P[L2] D[728x90] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R1] D[300x250] M[300x250] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
P[R2] D[300x250] M[320x50] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]
DIM[1x3] LBL[] SEL[] IDX[] TMPL[standalone] T[]
P[R3] D[300x250] M[0x0] OOP[F] ADUNIT[] T[]

Anthony Greder

Anthony Greder
Connect with Anthony: