Editor’s Note: The Feedback from the Field series is an open-sourced platform for U.S. growers to share and investigate growing conditions across the country. Want to get in on the action?! Click here to take our ongoing farmer survey on crop progress at any point in the 2021 grain season. Our Google Map, updated daily, provides all past responses for farm readers.
Drought and winter weather seem to be never-ending for Farm Futures readers in the Heartland, especially as many farmers itch to start spring planting. The first week of the Feedback from the Field 2021 series confirmed this sentiment as growers across the country shared spring crop progress – or lack thereof – with other Farm Futures readers.
Despite a week of cold temperatures and scatterings of snow and rain, corn planting progress around the U.S. continued in rapid fashion last week, rising 4% from the previous week to 8% complete as of April 18 in yesterday’s weekly Crop Progress update from USDA. Progress remains largely in line with the five-year average for the same reporting period, though yesterday’s results were a shade lower than the average trade estimate of 9%.
Farm Futures readers who reported corn acreage for 2021 had largely not started planting north of the Interstate 80 corridor. A south-central Nebraska grower faced snow and rain that was likely to halt planting progress until later this week.
“Colder than normal weather lately with about an inch of moisture coming as wet snow and light rain leading into the weekend will push planting back another 5 days at least,” the farmer shared. “Don't expect to see much corn or bean acreage planted before April 25th.”
Progress remains accelerated in Southern States, especially Texas and North Carolina, where 51% and 13% of the crop, respectively, is already emerged. Nationwide, 2% of the planted corn crop has already emerged from the soil, up from the five-year average of 1%.
Growers in Minnesota, Iowa, Arkansas, Michigan, and Kansas lamented the cold spring weather had stalled planting progress. But as soon as skies clear, expect farmers to plant at break-neck speeds. “When [the] weather opens, look OUT,” a Kansas corn grower forecasted. “It will be busy.”
But dry conditions are also taking a toll on Farm Futures readers. Farmers in Minnesota, Indiana, and Kansas reported dwindling subsoil moisture supplies as planting season ramps up. That creates more concerns about potential yield damage down the road, which could be worrisome to farmers booking sales as May 2021 corn futures prices surged past $6/bushel in this morning’s trading session.