7 State have less than 25% of corn left to plant

Farmers in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Tennessee, Texas, and North Carolina have reached another milestone in the 2024 planting season. According to USDA’s latest Crop Progress report, more than three-quarters of the corn crop has been planted in each of these top growing states.

Missouri

According to UDSA’s Prospective Plantings report published on March 28, Missouri farmers are expected to plant 3.5 million acres of corn in 2024.

As of the week ending May 19, 76% of the Missouri corn crop has been planted. Thanks to just two days suitable for fieldwork over the week and a surplus of topsoil moisture across 27% of the state, planting progress is up just 4 percentage points from the week prior. This progress falls short of the 81% five-year average. Last year at this time Missouri farmers were unusually close to finishing planting with 97% of the corn crop in the ground.

Iowa

USDA expected Iowa farmers to plant 12.8 million acres of corn this growing season.

The latest Crop Progress report shows 78% of Iowa’s corn has been planted. That’s a significant jump from 57% planted the week prior. However, this year’s planting progress falls short of the 86% five-year average. Iowa farmers are also behind last year at this time when 92% of the corn crop was in the ground.

“In pockets around the state, some farmers were able to resume or even finish planting as fields dried out from warmer and windier conditions,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig on Monday. “However, showers and thunderstorms prevented many from making much progress. An active weather pattern, along with stronger thunderstorms, is expected to continue this week and may bring more frustrating planting delays.”

Nebraska

USDA expected Iowa farmers to plant 9.85 million acres of corn this growing season.

As of the week ending May 19, 79% of the Nebraska corn crop is in the ground. That’s up 24 percentage points from the week prior. However, the five-year average is 82%. Last year at this time 84% of Nebraska’s corn had been planted.

Minnesota

USDA expected Minnesota farmers to plant 7.9 million acres of corn this growing season.

The latest Crop Progress report shows 81% of Minnesota’s corn has been planted. That means Minnesota farmers planted a quarter of the state’s crop over the seven day period ending May 19. This rapid progress pushed past the five-year average of 74% and last year’s planting pace of 75%.

Tennessee

USDA expected Tennessee farmers to plant 930,000 acres of corn this growing season.

Tennessee received another week marked by rain, with windy and wet conditions prevailing, thus continuing to delay fieldwork progress, reported the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Tennessee Field Office.

As of the week ending May 19, 83% of the Tennessee corn crop is in the ground. That’s up 10 percentage points from the week prior. However, the five-year average is 87%. Last year at this time, Tennessee farmers were in the final stretch of corn planting with 92% of the crop in the ground.

Texas

USDA expected Texas farmers to plant 2.1 million acres of corn this growing season.

Field preparation and planting was delayed due to wet field conditions in most parts of the state, reported the NASS Southern Plains Regional Field Office.

The latest Crop Progress report shows 85% of Texas corn has been planted, up 5 percentage points from the week prior. That’s behind the five-year average of 90%. Texas farmers are slightly behind last year at this time when 86% of the crop was in the ground.

North Carolina

USDA expected North Carolina farmers to plant 890,000 acres of corn this growing season.

North Carolina may be the first state to officially complete corn planting this season. As of the week ending May 19, 98% of the North Carolina corn crop is in the ground. That’s 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average and up 2 points from last year at this time.