2018 soybean planting passes halfway point

May 23, 2018

U.S. growers have seeded 56 percent of this year’s soybean crop

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

American farmers have planted more than 50 percent of the national 2018 soybean crop.

Growers have seeded 56 percent of U.S. soybeans, the USDA’s May 22 Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin says. That number is up from 35 percent last week and is 6 percent higher than at this time a year ago.

Soybean producers in Louisiana have planted 93 percent of their crops, which is the highest among the 18 states recorded.

Growers in South Dakota have played 24 percent of their soybeans, which is the lowest in the nation. That number represents a 20 percent increase from last week.

The crop continues to emerge.

Overall, 26 percent of the soybean crop has emerged, the USDA says. That number is up from 10 percent last week and up from 17 percent recorded at this time last year.

In Louisiana, 84 percent of soybeans have emerged, which is the highest in the U.S.

Corn

National corn seeding increased by 19 percent from last week’s USDA report.

Producers have planted 81 percent of their corn, which is up from 62 percent last week.

Farmers in Tennessee, North Carolina, Missouri and Illinois have all planted more than 90 percent of their respective states’ corn acres.

Corn growers in Pennsylvania have planted 35 percent of their corn, which is the lowest of the 18 documented states.

Half of the 2018 corn crop has emerged. That number is up from 28 percent last week.

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About 89 percent of North Carolina’s corn crop has emerged, which is the highest in the country. In contrast, only 8 percent of North Dakota’s corn crop has emerged.

Wheat

Altogether, 61 percent of the winter wheat crop has headed. That’s up from 45 percent last week, but still down 10 percent from this time last year, the USDA says.

All of California’s winter wheat has headed, while no winter wheat has headed in either Montana or South Dakota.

The USDA ranked 29 percent of the winter wheat crop as good. That’s on par with last week’s report.

Spring wheat planting continues across the U.S.

Growers have seeded 79 percent of the national spring wheat crop. That number is up from 58 percent last week.

Farmers in Idaho, South Dakota and Washington have planted more than 90 percent of state spring wheat crops.

The crop continues to emerge.

About 37 percent of the U.S. spring wheat crop has emerged, the USDA reports. That number is up from 14 percent last week, but still down from 59 percent at this time in 2017.

And 75 percent of spring wheat crop in Washington has emerged, which is the highest of the six recorded states.

Suitable fieldwork days

The states with the most suitable fieldwork days for the week ending May 20 were:

California and Arizona – 7

Utah – 6.9

New Mexico – 6.8

The states with the fewest suitable fieldwork days were:

Maryland and Delaware – 0

Pennsylvania – 1.5

New Jersey – 2

Weekly precipitation levels

State	Precipitation (inches)	Weather Station
Illinois	2.57	Chicago/O’Hare
Indiana	3.57	South Bend
Iowa	1.99	Dubuque
Kentucky	2.94	Lexington
Michigan	1.39	Grand Rapids
Missouri	1.86	Saint Louis
New York	1.58	Binghamton
Pennsylvania	4.25	Middletown
Tennessee	2.74	Nashville

The next Weekly and Weather Crop Bulletin will be released on Tues. May 29.

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.