The U.S.D.A. reports farmers made planting progress in some areas last week despite continued weather issues.
The report says 70% of the expected corn crop is now in the ground — which is still 5 days behind last year and 9 days behind the 5-year average. It is the smallest percent of corn planted by May 19 since 1995 when just 53% of the expected crop was done.
Farmers in the northern districts and east-central Iowa managed to dodge the rain to plant one-quarter of their expected corn this past week. That includes 43 percent of the crop planted in northeast Iowa.
Twenty percent of the corn has emerged — which is one week behind last year and the 5-year average. Twenty-seven percent of the expected soybean crop is in the ground. That’s 8 days behind last year and 9 days behind average. Three percent of the beans planted have emerged — which is 6 days behind the average.