Feedback From The Field - May 19, 2017Feedback From The Field - May 19, 2017

Growers report good progress planting corn this week. But the next hurdle could be getting those seeds out of the ground, as forecasts call for many areas to see a cold and soggy week into the Memorial Day holiday.

Farmers giving Feedback From The Field said 81% of their corn was seeded, up 13% from the previous week. Emergence also gained to 55% of those fields. Growers’ initial appraisal of their fledgling crop ranged from kudos to curses. But only 55% put corn in good to excellent shape. USDA won’t report corn condition in Monday’s Crop Progress report. But generally traders like to see 65% rated good to excellent.

The best reviews came from the western Corn Belt, where planting generally went quicker this spring.

“All crops are off to a great start!” gushed a grower from eastern South Dakota, who rated his fields in excellent shape.

A farmer from southwest Iowa said timely rains helped: “In general everything is in good shape.”

Conditions vary widely, however, even a few miles apart. On the Minnesota side of the Red River Valley one producer said conditions were good, though some areas were still wet from rains last fall. But another nearby farmer said fields needed rain: “Most soybeans went into dry dirt.”

Farmers in the eastern Midwest reported slower progress last week. Their fields didn’t get widespread rain this week, but there’s still work to do.

“Everyone is replanting corn, and beans are uncertain at this time,” said a farmer northeast of Indianapolis, who had no fields emerged yet.

Click this Feedback From The Field link to enter your data. For starters, we want to know how planting and emergence are going. You can also rate crops in your area as they emerge. We’ll update reports with the interactive map below that lets you see what other growers are saying around the country.

Follow season progress by clicking on the links below.

Feedback from the field - April 24, 2017 - Growers report slow start in northwest Corn Belt.

Feedback from the Field - April 28, 2017 - ‘Baby it’s cold outside’ isn’t the song farmers want to hear.

Feedback from the Field - May 8, 2017 - Emergence sputters as planting slows

Feedback from the Field - May 12, 2017 - Farms make progress but weather still an issue

Feedback from the Field - May 17, 2017 - Growers wary of this week’s new storms