Historically Slow Start to Corn Planting Continues, Iowa and Illinois Only 14% and 15% Complete

Summer-like temperatures and strong winds are helping dry out fields across the Midwest, as many farmers work to play catch-up with planting this week. That’s as the latest USDA Crop Progress Report data shows planting is off to the slowest start in nine years with only 22% of the nation's corn crop planted as of Sunday, May 8. 

As of Sunday, USDA says corn planting is 28 percentage points behind the five-year average and 42 points slower than last year’s historic pace. This week's report shows an 8-point improvement from last week, when USDA data showed farmers had only planted 14% of their corn crop, the slowest since 2013. 

Soybean planting progress currently sits at 12% complete, 12 points behind the five-year average. It trails last year by 15 points. 

Slow Start in 'I States'

Illinois farmers trail the average corn planting pace by 43 points. As of Sunday, USDA says just 15% of the state's corn crop had been planted, an 8-point jump in a week's time. Indiana's corn crop is only 11% planted and Iowa sits at 14% complete. Typically, farmers would have 63% of the state's corn crop in the field.  

While USDA shows planting progress by state, the current planting pace differs greatly within each state. Some farmers in eastern Iowa haven't made a single pass with the plater this season, while farther west, farmers have dodged the rain showers and planting is considerably ahead compared to other areas of the state.

pic.twitter.com/KtwbDAMZ9f — Caleb FF Champ Hamer (@HawkeyeHamer) May 8, 2022

It's a similar story in Illinois. Farmers just north of Effingham, Ill., say they’re almost finished planting this year’s crop. However, if you talk to farmers near Champaign, Ill., it’s been too cold and wet to plant.

Roll over the grey buttons below to get a closer look at each state.

Tennessee Farmers Find Window to Plant

According to AgFax, farmers were finally able to make some planting progress. March and April proved to be challenging for planting conditions, which means many farmers missed that large window to plant. USDA's latest report shows 64% of the stat's corn crop is planted, which was a 22-point jump in just a week. 

“Late last week (from May 3), we had a window open up, and by and large we were able to make a pretty good dent in getting corn planted,” says Tyson Raper, Cotton and Small Grain Specialist, University of Tennessee. “We had a couple of guys move in and get started on their cotton.”

While the start has been slow, it’s actually ahead of what Tennessee farmers in the area experienced in 2021.

“For us, last year, we weren’t able to even get started until about May 15. So, we’re happy to have gotten this window. We’ve had a few scattered showers early this week that pushed a few people back,” says Raper. 

Mixed Bag in South Dakota

Farmers battling cooler-than-normal temperatures has been a theme across the Midwest this year. Southeast South Dakota farmers waited for soil temperatures to warm up for the majority of April. 

“Last year we were about 10 degrees warmer, I feel like, for the median temperature day and night. We’re not there yet,” Chad Nelsen, a farmer in Viborg, S.D., told Farm Journal’s Michelle Rook. 

And last spring Nelsen had the majority of his corn and soybeans seeded by now. 

“Last year I was half done with corn, and I was on the home stretch of beans already.  I was done the first of May with both,” he says.

Heat This Week

The heat is on this week, and market watchers think major planting progress could be made this week. As of 2:10 p.m. Monday, the National Weather Service said the temperature in Kansas City had already reached 91 degrees, which is tied for the highest daily temperature on record set back in 1963. 

As of 2:10 PM, we reached 91° F at KCI. We are now tied for the record for highest temp on May 9th at KCI. Last set in 1963. #KC — NWS Kansas City (@NWSKansasCity) May 9, 2022

The heat and wind could dry out areas that have been consumed by too much moisture, but it could add more concern to those already facing drought conditions. 

“I think we had somewhere around 3.5 inches for the entire season right here. It was tough, and it's not gotten any better,” says Nelsen.

Rook also spoke to Tim Ostrem, a South Dakota farmer who started planting into dry soils and then got some rain. However, he says the subsoil moisture is short.   

“This was a drought area last year, and I’m also concerned about what long range forecasts have been,”  Ostrem says. “So far they’re saying that it’s not really changed.”  

Roll over the grey buttons below to get a closer look at each state.

Too Wet to Plant

Farther north in South Dakota, it’s a similar situation as to what farmers in North Dakota are seeing. Historic blizzards and rains in April have kept farmers on the sidelines, with essentially no planting taking place up until this point.

On this day last year we finished planting corn, the spring wheat had been in the ground for a mont was up and looking good and had a good start on soybeans… this year, zero progress in everything and it’s raining with chances four of five days this week. — Ryan Wagner (@wagner_farms) May 9, 2022

According to USDA, only 1% of North Dakota's corn crop has been planted so far this year, 17 points behind normal. 

Too Dry to Plant

Farmers in portions of the Plains and Southwest have also battled continued drought. Some producers waited on rain, which meant planting progress has been slow in the Texas Panhandle and West Texas. 

“After the terrible dry spell in April, May 1 brought much-needed rain to the region. Rainfall was widely scattered, and some places missed out completely. By mid-morning today (May 2), the West Texas Mesonet showed 24-hour precipitation totals ranging from zero to as much as 4 inches,” says Murilo Maeda, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Cotton Specialist in Lubbock, Texas, said in the latest AgFax Report. 

Current weather conditions, 100 degrees, breezy and humidity 5 percent. Soon I will need to get planters running. All last week I found an excuse not to start planting. With these conditions and continued drought, we will just be going through the motions with negative results. pic.twitter.com/5DQCj8DGBE — Lloyd Arthur (@LDAMAX1) May 8, 2022

High heat will be an issue for farmers in Texas again this week. Temperatures around Lubbock were forecast to reach triple digits on Monday, and humidity hovered around 5%. Still faced with drought, area farmers are starting to plant. 

“A few planters were rolling in the Panhandle last week, and I expect field activity to pick up in the next couple of days,” says Maeda. “Soil temperatures are in the ideal range at about 60 degrees. However, growers should check their fields locally, as well as watch for the five-day weather forecast. Although moisture is still the main limiting factor, we like to see nighttime low temperatures above 50 degrees for the first five days following planting."