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Feedback from the Field: Soybeans start off on a high note

But some early season issues continue to cause yield concerns

Jacqueline Holland, Grain market analyst

June 14, 2022

5 Min Read
Soybean field in spring with young seedlings in soil, at sunset
Getty/iStockphoto/Jevtic

Author’s note: You can participate in the Feedback from the Field series as often as you’d like this growing season! Just click this link to take the survey and share updates about your farm’s spring progress. I review and upload results daily to the FFTF Google MyMap, so farmers can see others’ responses from across the country – or even across the county!

Many soybean growers across the Heartland are winding down with spring planting, with much of the remaining acreage awaiting winter wheat harvest, based on farmer responses from Farm Futures’ Feedback from the Field series.

According to yesterday’s Crop Progress report from USDA, soybean planting progress rose 10% on the week to align with the five-year average at 88% complete as of June 12. Indeed, much of the remaining acreage left to be planted is likely on double crop rotations that is waiting for winter wheat to be harvested.

FFTF respondents are awaiting winter wheat harvest before planting more soybeans. Others are noting that crop development conditions have been less than ideal to start out the season.

  • “All that is left to plant is double crop soybeans and it will be 2 weeks before we harvest wheat,” shared a Kentucky corn, soy, and wheat grower.

  • “Cold and rainy spell after planting caused about a 10-day delay in emergence,” a Nebraska soybean grower noted of the local soy crop.

More notably in yesterday’s Crop Progress report, USDA issued the first condition ratings for soybean crops of the 2022 growing season. As of last Sunday, USDA found 70% of anticipated 2022 soybean acres to be in good to excellent condition. A year ago, that value stood at 62% good to excellent.

A great start to the 2022 soybean growing cycle could pay big dividends for growers this fall. While it is still too early to determine yields from condition ratings, the strong start will likely increase producer confidence in 2022 yield prospects.

Corn ratings remain strong amid spraying season

Just as Feedback from the Field respondents finished a hectic spring planting season, the growers are back out in the fields working on crop protection activities. “Even when it rains, it seems there is work to get caught up on,” exclaimed Indiana grower Kyle Stackhouse in the latest Between the Fencerows column. “Keeping up with spraying is a full-time job right now.”

That sentiment resonates with growers across the country right now as many continue to juggle late planting, replanting, and crop protection tasks as summer approaches. So far, few growers in the FFTF series have reported favorable growing conditions, though USDA’s nationwide corn rating of 72% good to excellent published in yesterday’s Crop Progress report suggests that corn crops are largely in good shape across the Heartland.

Of course, it hasn’t been an easy spring for everyone. Excessive moisture in North Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri, and Ohio has led to spotty emergence patterns, replanting, and a slow start for the 2022 crop.

  • “Will need a small amount of replant,” reported an Ohio corn producer.

  • “Uneven emergence,” a North Dakota corn grower shared of local corn crops.

  • “Late planted, but good stands and color,” noted a Missouri corn farmer. “Planting in our area started second week of May.”

  • Another Ohio grower noted better than average corn conditions despite a late start. “The county is behind on planting as many farmers were afraid of the cold conditions!”

And good yields aren’t yet guaranteed. With NOAA’s 6- to 10-day and 8- to 14-day forecasts trending abnormally hot and dry for the Corn Belt, crops in areas already facing dryness could start to show signs of heat stress over the next couple weeks.

Roundup: other crops

Elsewhere across the Heartland, other crop varieties are also wrapping up spring planting activities. Sugarbeet planting was 99% complete as of Sunday, just 1% behind the five-year average due to the slow start in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Sunflower planting progress is delayed in all four top producing states (Colorado, Kansas, and both Dakotas), standing at 61% complete through June 12, 10% behind the five-year average.

Oats are also emerging at slower than expected rates due to the aforementioned issues in the Northern Plains, but also persistent wetness in the Eastern Corn Belt.

Here are a few more insights about growing conditions for other crops from FFTF producers across the country:

  • “The beets are planted, but not where they should have been. The rotation is a mess, but they are in,” lamented a Minnesota soybean, spring wheat and sugarbeet producer.

  • “Oats were planted timely (Easter weekend) and look very nice,” chirped a Michigan grower. “Everything's planted in this area with the exception of dry beans which are in progress.”

  • “Sunflowers will be 100% planted in the next 25 hours,” a North Dakota producer forecasted last Tuesday.

Wheat looks to capitalize on warm temps

Hard red winter wheat harvest is ramping up in the Southern Plains, though recent showers have caused delays in crop maturation and harvesting. Warm temperatures this week are expected to accelerate harvesting paces, according to U.S. Wheat Associate’s Weekly Harvest Report.

“Weather has been very hot and wind should move wheat harvest along soon,” shared a FFTF producer in Northern Kansas who has yet to begin harvest activities.

Soft red winter wheat harvest is underway across the U.S. Southeast, but rapidly maturing crops further north are not far away from combining. Warm and dry conditions this week are expected to advance maturation rates.

U.S. Wheat Associates predicted that spring wheat planting progress in Minnesota was likely finished by the weekend thanks to clear skies in the Northern Plains last week. “Excellent progress was also made in  North Dakota, but a higher-than-normal number of acres are expected to remain unplanted,” the organization said in their Weekly Harvest Report.

Through the week ending June 12, 94% of anticipated 2022 spring wheat acreage had been planted, up a staggering 12% from the previous week thanks to the clear skies. It was probably the best Crop Progress showing spring wheat planting has had in North Dakota and Minnesota all season.

Through last Sunday, 54% of the crop was rated as good to excellent, which is an improvement from last year’s drought-battered start (37% good to excellent) during the same time. However, the cool and wet start to the season has made for less than idyllic early growing conditions for the 2022 spring wheat crop, which will need more heat to catch up to more favorable ratings.

About the Author

Jacqueline Holland

Grain market analyst, Farm Futures

Holland grew up on a dairy farm in northern Illinois. She obtained a B.S. in Finance and Agribusiness from Illinois State University where she was the president of the ISU chapter of the National Agri-Marketing Association. Holland earned an M.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University where her research focused on large farm decision-making and precision crop technology. Before joining Farm Progress, Holland worked in the food manufacturing industry as a financial and operational analyst at Pilgrim's and Leprino Foods. She brings strong knowledge of large agribusiness management to weekly, monthly and daily market reports. In her free time, Holland enjoys competing in triathlons as well as hiking and cooking with her husband, Chris. She resides in the Fort Collins, CO area.

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