The April 28 Crop Progress Report from USDA showed strong progress made in planting corn in the last week, with nearly 1/5 of the overall crop now in the ground. Soybean planting has also started in a handful of states.

Farmers in all but one of the major corn-producing states have started planting corn. Nineteen percent of the overall crop has been planted, increasing 13 points over last week. Corn planting progress is still behind the five-year-average of 28%. North Dakota is the only state to not have any corn planted yet.

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Corn is emerging in a handful of states. Farmers in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas are seeing corn pop through the soil surface for an overall emergence rate of 3%. This is just 3 points behind the five-year average.

Over half of the major soybean-producing states have started planting soybeans. A total of 3% of the overall soybean crop has been planted; just 1 point behind the five-year average. 

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