U.S. FARMERS ARE NOW PLANTING SOYBEANS AT A NEAR RECORD PACE

The colder weather last week didn’t force the national planting progress pace to fall behind average. USDA’s latest Crop Progress report shows while corn planting is now right on track with average, the soybean planting pace is well ahead of average.

USDA’s report shows as of Sunday, April 30:

26% of the corn crop is planted, up 12 percentage points in a week

Corn planting is currently 13 points ahead of this time last year

Soybean planting is 19% complete, up 10 points in a week

Current soybean planting pace is 12 points ahead of last year

While 26% of the corn crop is planted, only 6% of it has emerged.

USDA also shows North Dakota farmers are still sidelined and haven’t planted any corn. The average for the state is 3% planted for this time of year. Wisconsin farmers are 9 points behind the average planting pace, at only 2% of the crop planted so far. Iowa farmers are also behind. 29% of the state’s corn crop has been planted so far, 5 points behind average.

However, there are some states with a rapid planting pace. That includes:

• 80% planted in Missouri vs. 41% average
• 60% planted in Tennessee vs. 46% average
• 52% planted in Kentucky vs. 36% average
• 40% planted in Illinois vs. 29% average

There are also several states seeing a breakneck soybean planting pace this year, including:

• Arkansas 43% planted vs. 23% average
• Louisiana 59% planted vs 39% average
• Missouri 34% planted vs. 5% average
• Illinois 39% planted vs. 15% average
• Indiana 18% planted versus 9% average

Farmers in both South Dakota and North Dakota haven’t started planting soybeans yet. Farmers in Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina and Wisconsin are behind in soybean planting.

“Looking at soybeans, we’ve never been this fast in states like Missouri and Tennessee,” says Lance Honig,  chief of the crops branch at USDA-NASS.