U.S. corn and soybean planting is progressing ahead of the five-year average, with producers in Illinois and Indiana making particularly big strides.
Monday’s weekly USDA crop progress report pegged national corn planting at 11% complete as of Sunday, up 6 points from a week earlier. That is on par with last year and 2 points ahead of average. Soybean planting advanced 6 points on the week to 12% complete, ahead of 7% last year and 5% on average.
In Illinois, corn planting was 13% done as of Sunday, up from 4% a week earlier and comfortably ahead of 6% last year and 8% on average. Soybean planting in the state was already 20% done, an increase of 13 points from the previous week and compared to 9% last year and 7% on average.
Indiana corn planting was 14% done as of Sunday, up 11 points from a week earlier and ahead of 2% last year and 3% on average. Soybean planting advanced 15 points on the week to 19% complete, 16 points ahead of last year and the average.
Things are moving more slowly in Iowa, where just 2% of the corn crop was in as of Sunday, far behind 16% last year and 8% on average. Only 1% of the Iowa soybean crop was planted, compared to 10% last year and 4% on average.
Corn planting in Michigan was 1% done as of Sunday, on par with last year and the average, while soybean planting had not yet started.
Ohio corn planting reached 9% complete as of Sunday, up 8 points from the previous week ahead and 7 points ahead of last year and the average. The Ohio soybean crop was also 9% planted, versus 0% last year and 2% on average.
Nationwide, 4% of the American corn crop was emerged as of Sunday, 2 points ahead of last year and the average.
