Market News & Headlines >> Corn Planting Still Lagging Normal

U.S. corn planting continued to progress at a slightly slower than normal pace last week, with cold, damp conditions keeping many producers out of their fields.

In its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday afternoon, USDA pegged U.S. planting progress as of Sunday at 19%, ahead of last year’s 17%, but behind the five-year average of 25%. The progress number was one percentage point below the average of trade expectations.

USDA reported nationwide corn emergence for the first time this growing season, pegging it at 2%, behind last year’s 3% and the five-year average of 6%.

In the top corn producing state of Iowa, planting progress advanced to 14% as of Sunday from 7% a week earlier, but still trailed the average pace of 24%; while in No. 2 Illinois, progress reached 31% up from 15% a week earlier, but behind the average of 37% for the date. Only 1% of the Illinois crop had emerged as of Sunday, down from the average pace of 9%.

Planting is ahead of schedule in the northwest Corn Belt, where dry conditions have enabled producers to get in the field earlier than normal.  Minnesota producers had planted 38% of their intended corn acres by Sunday, far ahead of last year’s 3% and the five-year average of 20%. South Dakota’s corn crop, meanwhile, was 16% planted versus an average pace of 10%.

However, planting progress was significantly limited by wet conditions again last week in southern and eastern growing states. Progress was more than 20 percentage points behind average in five states – Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, with the worst delays in Tennessee, which was 17% planted versus an average of 60% and Kentucky, which was 7% planted versus an average of 45%.

USDA also issued its first nationwide soybean planting progress estimate of the season, putting planting at 2% done, behind last year’s 3% and the average pace of 4%. Among the top 18 growing states, no significant planting progress was reported outside the Delta states of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi.