The Crop Progress report for the week of May 12 confirms only modest progress in planting. In the 18 reported states, just 30% of the corn crop and 9% of the soybeans have been planted versus 66% and 29% five-year averages respectively.
|
State
|
Corn planted as
of May 12
|
Increase from
previous week
|
Five-year average
for date
|
|
Iowa
|
48%
|
12%
|
76%
|
|
Kansas
|
46
|
5
|
67
|
|
Nebraska
|
46
|
11
|
72
|
|
South Dakota
|
4
|
4
|
54
|
Looking at soybeans, the 18 states added only 3 percentage points to planted acres. States we serve:
|
State
|
Beans planted as
of May 12
|
Increase from
previous week
|
Five-year average
for date
|
|
Iowa
|
13%
|
5%
|
31%
|
|
Kansas
|
7
|
2
|
16
|
|
Nebraska
|
20
|
6
|
20
|
|
South Dakota
|
0
|
0
|
19
|
Grain sorghum also is behind normal, but more modestly.
|
State
|
Sorghum planted as
of May 12
|
Five-year average
for date
|
|
Kansas
|
1
|
3
|
|
Nebraska
|
8
|
15
|
|
South Dakota
|
0
|
5
|
Spring wheat
South Dakota’s spring wheat crop is one percentage point ahead of the six-state average for planting, at 46%. This compares with the state’s average of 88% planted at this date and 67% average for the six states.
Little wonder, as the days suitable for fieldwork were very low:
|
Iowa
|
1.9 days
|
|
Kansas
|
1.1 days
|
|
Nebraska
|
2.7 days
|
|
South Dakota
|
1.7 days
|
|
Wyoming
|
3.1 days
|
Winter wheat headed
The winter wheat crop is running late as well given the cool wet weather.
|
State
|
Winter wheat headed
|
Five-year average
|
|
Kansas
|
35%
|
64%
|
|
Nebraska
|
2%
|
12%
|
|
South Dakota
|
0%
|
1%
|
Condition is weighted on the top side, with 56% of the Kansas crop good/excellent and only 11% poor/very poor. Nebraska has 67% on the top end and 4 on the bottom and South Dakota, 68% and 6%. In the 18 states, 64% of the crop is good/excellent and 8% poor/very poor.
Huge swing from dryness
About a third of the crop land has surplus topsoil moisture, USDA reports, with the 48-state average at 34%. The states we report reflect the same tendency.
|
State
|
Surplus
|
Adequate
|
Short/Very short
|
|
Iowa
|
32
|
67
|
1
|
|
Kansas
|
36
|
62
|
2
|
|
Nebraska
|
17
|
79
|
4
|
|
South Dakota
|
39
|
61
|
0
|
|
Wyoming
|
10
|
83
|
7
|
Subsoil moisture is running similarly adequate to surplus, suggesting that when the crop gets into the ground, it will take a while before water becomes an issue – and the long-range weather outlook favors normal or more rainfall through the season.
Pasture conditions also look good, with 63% reported good/excellent in the 48 states and only 7% at the low end of ratings.
