Slow Slog Through Planting Season Continues

Some soybeans finally made their way into the damp Missouri ground, while corn planting is at just one-third the average rate.  The weekly Crop Progress Report from USDA indicates corn planting is just ten percent complete as of Sunday, nine points behind last year’s pace and 19 points off the five-year average.  No reported emergence has occurred; last year, four percent of corn had emerged.  Soybean planting is finally registering on the weekly update, with one percent in the ground; last year at this stage, planting was three percent complete.  Rice planting in the Bootheel remains stuck at one percent; on average, 38 percent of rice is planted heading into the last week of April, with 10 percent emerged.

Three percent of winter wheat in the state has headed, four points behind a year ago and 15 points behind the five-year average.  Conditions showed improvement with 59 percent rated good to excellent versus four percent poor or very poor.  However, pastures saw a two-point drop in quality with 53 percent rated good to excellent compared to three percent poor.  12 percent of Missouri farms are believed to have a shortage of hay supply, compared to two percent with a surplus.  Despite another week of above-average precipitation that averaged 1.12″, one percent of farmers now lack adequate supply, compared to six percent who retain a surplus.  Two percent of topsoil and eight percent of subsoil are lacking moisture, compared to surpluses in 27 percent of topsoil and 11 percent of subsoil.

Temperatures averaged 56.6°F across Missouri last week, 1.3 degrees below normal.  Just 2.4 days were suitable for fieldwork.