Planting Season Ends, Focus Turns to Crop Conditions

With the exception of sorghum and spring wheat, only a handful of acres are left to plant this season.

By Sara Schafer

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November 15, 2020 03:21 PM

With the exception of sorghum and spring wheat, only a handful of acres are left to plant this season, according to the latest USDA Crop Progress and Condition Ratings.

A little more than 86% of the U.S. sorghum crop has been planted, which is on schedule with the five-year average. Farmers in Arkansas and Louisiana have completed sorghum planting for this season. Colorado is the furthest behind, with 70% planted.

Spring wheat planting has reached 91% complete. Normally by this time, the entire crop is planted. Montana and North Dakota are the only states without 100% planted.

Corn, soybean, cotton and rice are almost all in the ground and emerged. Now the crop story turns to overall health of the crop.

Many farmers have been providing crop condition reports to AgWeb Crop Comments.

A grower in Holmes County, Ohio says the corn in the area looks reasonably good. “The corn is in all different stages from just planted to 3 feet. tall. Soybeans looking pretty good also.”

In Washington County, Iowa, a farmer says this year is looking like a repeat of last year. “Corn looked very good on June 1, but continued rains on an almost daily basis plus a few 3+ inch soakers are starting to take their toll on the corn.”

A Warren, Ind., farmer says his first corn fields are 42" tall, and the last fields planted are around 30" tall. For soybeans, he drilled beans from May 18 to June 10. “All have emerged but early stands are a little thin.”

The extremely dry conditions in the South are putting a hurt on crops there. A northeast Louisiana farmer says his dryland corn is not going to do much. “I am expecting 50 bu. If it does more than that, I will be shocked. We have received 9 inches since we planted corn, but only 2 in the past 7 weeks. And have been at 98-102 degrees for the past 3 weeks. I think I saw a cactus this morning…”

Here’s an overview of the USDA condition ratings of each crop, as of June 19.