Despite Recent Rains, USDA Shows Corn Planting is Close to the Finish Line

Rains across the Midwest dampened commodity markets on Monday, but it didn’t seem to bring U.S. planting progress to a stop. USDA’s Crop Progress report released Monday revealed corn planting jumped 10 points in a week, now sitting at 90% complete. The latest planting progress continues to show how farmers are beating last year’s pace, up 3 points from last year and 10 points ahead of the five-year average.

USDA shows only two states have planting progress behind average. Kansas sits at 76% planted, down 4 points from average. That’s as USDA says overall, Kansas farmers only had two days suitable for field work last week. And in Colorado, farmers had 3.5 days suitable for field work, which still puts farmers 14 points behind the average planting pace with 64% of the corn crop in the field.

The number of states nearing the finish line for the 2021 planting season is growing. Iowa farmers have 97% of the corn crop planted and Minnesota sits at 98% planted, both on track with last year’s planting pace. However, dry weather in Michigan is adding to major progress. At 88% planted, the corn planting is 30 points above last year. And Illinois farmers have 90% of the crop planted, up 11 points compared to the same time last year.

While the weather was a mixed bag for planting progress last week, warmer weather appeared to help emergence. USDA shows 64% of the crop is emerged, which is a 23-point jump in just a week.