planting

Before we get to this week's crop progress report, I'd like to mention that Agronomists from LG Seeds posted in depth blogs about spring planting progress across their respective regions last week. These are archived, and can be found under the Agronomy Section, in the Blog tab.

It should come as no surprise that soil moisture levels have dictated much of the planting progress across the Midwest. On average, as one looks at soil moistures from west to east, we range from being short to adequate moisture in Kansas and Nebraska; adequate to surplus moistures across Iowa to Illinois; and surplus to excessive moisture in the eastern corn belt. Field work and planting progress echoes this too.

Much progress was made around the corn belt this past week. Above normal temperatures and drier weather combined to allow significant planting progress. Many states are reporting that planting progress is approaching the long term averages for corn and soybeans. Planting is progressing, while conditions remain variable, with frequent rainfall and cooler conditions in some areas preventing soils from drying. Field activities (spraying, fertilizing, tilling , and planting) went into the night to make up for lost time.

Memories of the fast quick start to the planting season of 2010 have faded, and we are now in the process of considering what happens when planting is delayed due to weather related events. Corn planting has stalled in most regions of the Corn Belt. Crop planting progress ranges from 1% or less of the acres planted in Ohio and Minnesota to 28-29% of the corn acres planted in Kansas and Missouri. Let us consider that this current spring is somewhat similar to 2009 in many areas of the corn belt.