Sun Sets on Corn Crop as Farmers Fall Drastically Behind Schedule at Just 30% Complete This Week

The US Department of Agriculture released its latest Crop Progress report for the week ending on May 12th, on Monday. The report came in lighter than expected by the trade in terms of both corn planting and emergence as well as soybean planting. This continues the trend that has been ongoing since planting season began, putting the two crops further behind their normal rate of progress. There is still time to get the crops in the ground before the close of the planting window, but only if weather conditions across the traditional Corn Belt dry up and warm up in the near future. According to this week’s report, the US corn crop is just 30 percent planted compared to its normal rate of 66 percent. Corn emerged for the US crop is at just 10 percent, versus the 29 percent on average over the past five years.

 

Adding just seven percentage points to the corn planting totals means it is more and more likely we simply won't get all the acres originally planned to be planted to corn into that crop this season- the state of Illinois is ground zero for the problem as they went from 10% planted a week ago to 11% planted this week- their five year average is 82%. 

 

The US soybean crop this week is reportedly at just 9 percent planted, well behind its normal pace of 29 percent with the east struggling the most, especially in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio where very little of the crop has been sown. In addition, the US winter wheat crop continues to progress fairly well at 64 percent good to excellent this week, 28 fair and 8 percent poor to very poor. There is no change from last week in this condition rating, except for a slight improvement from good to excellent by 3 percent. As of this week, 42 percent of the crop is headed, still lagging its normal rate by 12 points but behind last year by just 1 point.

 

Click here to review the complete USDA Crop Progress Report for Monday, May 13, 2019.

 

Looking at our three-state region across the Southern Plains -

 

In Oklahoma, winter wheat headed reached 89 percent, up 1 point from the previous year but down 3 points from normal. Wheat’s condition this week rates 4 poor to very poor, 21 fair and 75 percent good to excellent. Corn planted reached 45 percent, down 20 points from the previous year and 25 points from normal. Corn emerged reached 35 percent, down 2 points from the previous year and down 19 points from normal. Sorghum planted reached 12 percent, down 11 points from the previous year and down 18 points from normal. Soybeans planted reached 15 percent, down 10 points from the previous year and down 6 points from normal. Cotton planted reached 8 percent, down 15 points from the previous year and down 12 points from normal. Pasture and range condition is rated 7 percent poor to very poor, 36 fair and 57 good to excellent - a 4 point decline from last week’s good to excellent rating.

 

For Oklahoma's complete Crop Progress report, click or tap here.

 

In Kansas, winter wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 9 poor, 33 fair, 43 good, and 13 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 89 percent, ahead of 84 last year. Headed was 35 percent, near 39 last year, and well behind 64 for the five-year average. Corn planted was 46 percent, behind 65 last year, and well behind 67 average. Emerged was 26 percent, behind 34 last year and 38 average. Soybeans planted was 7 percent, well behind 28 last year, and behind 16 average. Sorghum planted was 1 percent, near 3 both last year and average. Cotton planted was 5 percent, equal to both last year and average. Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 24 fair, 59 good, and 13 excellent - a 7 point improvement over last week.

 

For Kansas’ complete Crop Progress report, click or tap here.