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Feedback From The Field - May 2, 2016

Some crops off to slow start as wet and cold hamper planting.

Bryce Knorr, Contributing market analyst

May 2, 2016

2 Min Read

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Wet and in some places cold weather have stalled planting, leaving early planted fields only average conditions, according to Feedback From The Field comments this week.

USDA won’t begin rating corn until at least 50% of the crop is emerged in key states. But growers adding assessments over the last week on average rated the crop only fair. Planting progress varied widely.

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Farmers in the northwest Corn Belt said they were off to a slow start, with producers in South Dakota and Minnesota saying they were 1% or less planted.  A Minnesota farmer said, “Frost this morning, field conditions wet, cool temps. No corn planted or soy.” He hoped to be starting Tuesday, though some farmers were already planting in less than ideal conditions.  A grower in Nebraska had two inches of moisture from “wet, slushy snow.”

On the other end of the spectrum, a farmer in Illinois reported corn was all emerged and “looking good.” Soybeans were another matter, with fields planted when they were too wet and cold. While few beans are out of the ground, growers rated theirs a little below average.

Drier conditions on parts of the northern Plains speeded spring wheat seeding, with growers rating their fields between fair and good. Winter wheat to the south was only average, with several growers noting problems with stripe rust.

Recent rains likely improved winter wheat ratings again this week. Farm Futures geospatial analysis showed the vegetative health index for ground with winter wheat up 1.4% in the last week. Fields in Kansas come under the scrutiny of the annual crop tour there this week.

Feedback From The Field - May 2, 2016

This afternoon’s Crop Progress report should show the percentage of winter wheat rated good to excellent at 60%. Planting progress could be 49% for corn, 12% for soybeans and 56% for spring wheat.

See all the ratings and comments on our interactive map.

About the Author(s)

Bryce Knorr

Contributing market analyst, Farm Futures

Bryce Knorr first joined Farm Futures Magazine in 1987. In addition to analyzing and writing about the commodity markets, he is a former futures introducing broker and Commodity Trading Advisor. A journalist with more than 45 years of experience, he received the Master Writers Award from the American Agricultural Editors Association.

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