WHITE HALL, Md. (RFD News) —New USDA crop progress numbers show farmers continuing to move quickly through planting season, with corn, soybeans and spring wheat all running ahead of their five-year averages.
USDA reports 57 percent of the nation’s corn crop has been planted, ahead of the five-year average of 52 percent. Soybean planting has reached 49 percent complete, while spring wheat planting now sits at 53 percent, two points ahead of average.
Winter wheat conditions remain a concern. USDA says 40 percent of the crop is rated poor to very poor, while only 28 percent falls into the top category.
Despite the strong planting pace, crop advisors say some growers are still waiting to see crops emerge.
Crop advisor Ben Hushon with The Mill says some soybean fields have been slower to develop than expected in parts of Northern Maryland.
“They’re still planting soybeans, and they’re still planting corn. And actually, I had someone ask me over the weekend, said, ‘You told us about the soybeans struggling. So have they made it yet?’ And I’ll tell you, the field that I’m standing in right now has been in the ground for 24 days. And yes, they are up, but they are not very big for having been in the ground for 24 days.”
Hushon says warmer temperatures expected this week could help spur additional growth in those struggling fields.
