Be proactive in evaluating crop emergence and uniformity. That information will help you make timely, informed decisions that are best for your farm and your financial needs this season.

Knowing the final plant population as well as the uniformity of the stand can guide you in deciding whether you will benefit most from keeping the current crop or ripping it out and replanting, says Missy Bauer, Farm Journal Field Agronomist.

2025 has been a record setting planting season for Mike Madsen and many farmers in Southern Minnesota.

Make adjustments as you plant because when those final steps are done poorly, corn germinates unevenly and there’s no way to go back and undo the damage.

The forecast for May is pointing to a rapid warm up with rains across the drought-stricken Plains, but there’s a drier forecast for the heart of the Corn Belt. One meteorologist is concerned about the amount of dryness entering the picture.

Farmers are poised to climb past the halfway point this week following a slowdown in progress while Illinois planting remains behind the 5-year average.

One farmer who was chased out of fields by rain this past weekend told Farm Journal, “This is the wettest drought I have ever seen.” There are some silver linings, though: soil-applied herbicides are being activated, the U.S. corn crop won’t all pollinate the same week and you have time to make stand counts where the crop has emerged.

Despite wet weather, farmers are making serious progress with planting. Here’s an update on how the season is shaping up in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.

USDA’s latest crop progress report puts the country at 24% of corn and 18% of soybeans in the ground. Farmers are sharing timely rains and great conditions to start the season.

GDUs offer a more reliable method to predict corn emergence and development than using calendar days, according to yield champions David Hula and Randy Dowdy. They also offer their pro tip on how to assess planting and germination depth.