Planting progress in Minnesota is well ahead of the five year average with 86% of the corn and 74% of the soybean crop seeded as of USDA’s crop progress report for May 18.
However, for farmers in Southern Minnesota planting was done in record time with an ideal spring.
In fact, soil conditions are the best Chris Schnek can remember in his 34 year farming career.
“The ground conditions are great. You work up a field, and you can just about plant it right away the next day, and it is just beautiful conditions,” he remarks from the tractor cab.
Early Soybeans Pay Off in Higher Yield
Schnek farms near Mankato and planted all his soybeans first, starting April 23 and finishing April 26.
He says planting early has consistently helped him see a yield bump on the farm.
“I’m going to say I look at 10% by getting them in early,” according to Schnek.
Corn Seeded Deeper With Dry Soils
He quickly moved to planting corn but with the dry soils adjusted his seeding depth.
“Soil conditions are good, but they’re dry down that first inch and a half down. So to get the moisture, we’ve got to get that seed deep in there.”
Record Corn Planting Pace
Still, corn planting was equally as fast as soybeans due to the lack of rain delays and in a normal year he would be driving around wet spots in his fields.
Schnek started seeding corn on May 2 and was done by the evening of May 9.
He says it was the fastest planting season he’s ever experienced on the farm. “I think we’re done two weeks ahead of schedule.”
More Corn Acres in Southern Minnesota
That record pace may have resulted in more acres of corn being planted in his area of Southern Minnesota.
“Yeah, like the old saying says that when the grounds fit, the guys will run the corn planters and they will plant more corn. So, I just think in this area where I’m at, we’re going to have a lot of corn acres.”
In March, USDA reported Minnesota farmers intended to plant 300,000 less corn acres in 2026, but Schnek and area farmers bucked the trend as many pre-booked fertilizer.
Schnek, who is a seed dealer for Wyffels, hasn’t seen any switching of acres out of corn into beans in his area because of the high fertilizer prices. “I haven’t had anybody bring back seed and say that they were going to switch to beans. Everybody’s planting what they committed to.”
Corn Economics Pencil Out
He decided already last fall to plant more corn this season since he uses manure and biologicals to cut his fertilizer use and his costs. That made corn a more profitable option for his than soybeans.
“I had everything bought early. I had the nitrogen bought early. Seed was bought early,” he explains, “So I ran the numbers, and that was just taking a chance on that the market was going to come around.”
Plus, he doesn’t see yield drag doing corn on corn in his area he adds. “Not if it’s managed right, no. There’s guys that just know how to raise corn on corn, and it works for them.”
High Yield Potential
With a jump on the season, he’s now hoping for some rain to help push his yield towards his Actual Production History (APH) on the farm of 65 to 70 bushels per acre on soybeans and 240 bushels per acre on corn.
“I want to say I’m pretty optimistic on it right now. I think we’ve got a record crop coming here. If we can get a shot of rain and we warm up, I think we’ll be off to a pretty good start,” he adds.
And Schnek hopes he can combine that with some stronger grain prices to improve his bottom line.
