More than three-quarters of the US corn crop and two-thirds of the soybeans are now in the ground.
Monday’s USDA crop progress report showed American corn planting at 78% complete as of Sunday, up from 62% a week earlier and matching pre-report trade expectations. Progress also remains well ahead of 67% last year and 73% on average.
Meanwhile, an estimated 66% of the soybean crop was planted as of Sunday, up 18 points on the week and 2 points ahead of trade expectations. That compares to 50% last year and 53% on average.
Some fieldwork delays are expected this week, with moderate to locally heavy showers forecast into Wednesday into much of the northern and eastern Midwest. However, the rain is needed in the drier areas and generally good conditions for crop development are expected afterward.
In the largest production state of Iowa, corn planting advanced 15 points from the previous week to 91% complete, versus 75% last year and 85% on average. Planting in Illinois jumped 20 points on the week to 74% complete, ahead of 63% last year but still behind 77% on average. The Indiana crop was 64% planted as of Sunday, up from 45% a week earlier and 2 points ahead of average.
Michigan corn planting gained 21 points to 63% complete as of Sunday, far ahead of 47% last year and 55% on average. On the other hand, progress remains relatively slow in Ohio, where planting advanced 9 points on the week to 34% done as of Sunday – behind 45% last year and 48% on average.
North Dakota corn planting reached 69% complete as of Sunday, up from 41% the previous week and compared to 47% last year and 34% on average.
Soybean planting in the No. 1 state of Illinois gained 16 points on the week to 67% complete as of Sunday, 12 points ahead of last year and 3 points ahead of the state average. Iowa was 84% done as of Sunday, up from 64% a week earlier and 13 points ahead of average, while Indiana was 59% complete, compared to 41% the previous week, and 52% on average.
Michigan soybean planting jumped to 53% done as of Sunday, up 24 points on the week, well ahead of 39% last year and 3 points ahead of average. The Ohio crop was 40% planted, versus 25% a week earlier and 39% for last year and the state average.
North Dakota soybean planting advanced 20 points to 46% done, ahead of 29% last year and 23% on average.
Across the country, 50% of the corn crop had emerged as of Sunday, up from 28% a week earlier and 10 points ahead of average. National soybean emergence, at 34%, was up from 17% the previous week and ahead of 23% on average.
In Iowa, corn emergence was running 9 points ahead of the state average at 58%, while soybean emergence in Illinois was 12 points ahead at 45%.
