The planting season is continuing along smoothly in the Midwest for corn and soybeans. Monday’s USDA Crop Progress report pegged corn planting at 62% complete as of Sunday, up 22 percentage points from last week and 6 points ahead of the 5-year average. USDA estimated 28% of the crop was emerged, up from the 5-year average of 21%.
Among top producing states, Iowa, at 76%, was 7 points ahead of its 5-year average, while Illinois, at 54%, was 6 points ahead and Minnesota, at 75%, was 14 points ahead. Progress in the eastern Corn Belt has been a little more uneven, but Indiana’s planting progress of 45% was 3 points ahead of average.
USDA pegged U.S. soybean planting progress at 48% as of Sunday, up 18 points from last week and 11 points ahead of the five-year average. As with corn, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska were all solidly ahead of their five-year average planting pace for soybeans.
