Planting Progress Shifts In Warmer, Drier Weather

JULIE HARKER

COLUMBIA, MISSOURI

   Warmer and drier weather is expected to help farmers make solid planting progress this week.

   Normally, corn planting advances about 17 percentage points this week to 67 percent complete by May 15, says Martyn Foreman, University of Missouri Extension instructor in agricultural economics. “While corn planting progress is unlikely to reach the average next week, the gap should narrow significantly.”

   Missouri’s corn planting progress advanced only 5 points last week to 32 percent complete as widespread precipitation kept planters in the shed. Normally, Missouri farmers are about two-thirds done with corn planting by May 8. Soybean planting progress also lags at 7 percent vs. 14 percent on average.

   While rice planting made good progress last week, climbing from only 5 percent on May 1 to 31 percent as of May 8, planting is still below the five-year average of 61 percent. Cotton planting increased 12 points last week to 20 percent, close to the five-year average of 21 percent. Fortunately, open weather this week should allow planting to advance rapidly for all crops.

   Nationally, corn planting progress fell further behind, advancing only 8 points to 22 percent. The five-year average for May 8 is 50 percent. 

   Widespread precipitation limited planting progress last week to the far western and southern portions of the Corn Belt.

   Only Texas and North Carolina are slightly ahead of their five-year averages. Delays are most severe for Iowa at 14 percent (compared to 63 percent on average), Illinois at 15 percent (58 percent), Minnesota at 9 percent (48 percent), Missouri at 32 percent (67 percent) and Indiana at 11 percent (39 percent).

   MU students have been tracking U.S. planting progress and posting their findings each week. The students work in the Undergraduate Experiential Learning Laboratory, part of the MU Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. Planting progress graphs and commentary can be found at mizzou.us/FAPRI-ELL. ∆

   JULIE HARKER: University of Missouri