Crop Progress: 1% of corn in the ground amid ongoing drought

Drought conditions persist in 16 of the 18 top-growing corn states as this year’s planting season gets underway. Seven states had corn in the ground as of March 2024.

Seven states are reported to have corn in the ground, at the same time, producers in these places are all facing some degree of drought.

Drought conditions persist in 16 of the 18 top-growing corn states as this year’s planting season gets underway. As of last week, 24 percent of corn production areas had some level of drought.

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The latest USDA Crop Progress Report shows North Carolina, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas planted at least 1 percent of their corn crop as of March 2024. Producers in all of those states are seeing anywhere from abnormal to extreme levels of drought according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor.

While the dryness has helped farmers get into fields sooner, it is not ideal for crop development.

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