Iowa farmers continue to plant corn and soybeans at a rapid pace.
The weekly crop progress report Monday says 86% of the expected Iowa corn crop has been planted, 10 days ahead of the five-year average. North central and central Iowa farmers have less than 10% of their expected corn crop remaining to be planted. Corn emergence improved to 22% complete, an increase of 20 percentage points from the previous week.
Meanwhile, just over two-thirds of the expected soybean crop has been planted, 15 days ahead of the five-year average. Six percent of the expected soybean crop has emerged, 5 days ahead of normal.
USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey says corn emergence is progressing at a slower pace than planting in the Midwest.
?One of the poster children for what we see with that fast planting but slower emergence, you have to look at Minnesota,? said Rippey. ?You see there that 85% of the overall intended corn acreage has been planted by May 9th, but only 8% has emerged.?
Rippey adds that for the Midwest, soybean planting progress is similar to corn planting.
?Twenty percent or more of the crop planted just during the last week in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota,? said Rippey. ?The big winner in the planting of soybeans department was Minnesota, planting a remarkable 42% in the last week.?
Seeding of Iowa?s expected oat crop is nearly complete with 74% emerged, 4 days ahead of average. Iowa?s first oat crop condition rating of the season was 2% very poor, 4% poor, 36% fair, 51% good and 7% excellent.
