Here’s the latest planting update excerpted from the May 27 USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (for week ending May 24):
Corn: By week’s end, 82 percent of this year’s corn acreage was planted, 4 points behind last year and 11 points behind the 5-year average. The largest push in progress was made in Illinois, where producers took advantage of warm, sunny conditions and planted 42 percent of their crop during the week. Emergence advanced to 52 percent complete, 4 points ahead of the previous year, but 19 points behind normal. Under favorable growing conditions, the most development was seen in Minnesota and Nebraska, with 31 percent of the crop emerging in both States.
Soybeans: Forty-eight percent of the Nation’s soybean crop was planted by May 24, one point slower than last year and 17 points behind normal. The most rapid progress was made in Iowa and Wisconsin, where producers planted 39 and 32 percent of their acreage during the week, respectively. By week’s end, 17 percent of this year’s crop had emerged, compared with 12 percent a year ago and 31 percent for the 5-year average. The most development was evident in the Delta States of Mississippi and Louisiana, where emergence had reached 73 and 64 percent, respectively.