USDA: Corn Planting Pace, Winter Wheat Conditions Slip

Cool weather in the last week wasn’t kind to farmers looking to get the 2021 corn crop planted. Last week saw planting progress slip behind the normal pace, with 17% of the crop in the ground compared to the previous average of 20% by this week. Soybean farmers weren’t as bothered by the unseasonably cool temperatures, with planting for that crop sitting at 8% complete as of Sunday compared to the 5% average for this week. But there are pockets like Louisiana where farmers have faced a much wetter-than-normal spring where soybean planting is well behind the normal pace. Dry conditions have helped farmers in the northern Plains — namely South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota — make major strides with spring wheat planting, which sat at 28% complete as of Sunday, 9% ahead of the normal pace. Farther south, the week saw another step down in Plains winter wheat conditions, with now 49% of that crop rated good to excellent in Monday’s USDA Crop Progress report. Sorghum, cotton and rice plantings remain slightly behind the normal pace, Monday’s data show. See more crop progress numbers.