In this week’s report, USDA pegs corn planting progress as of Sunday, May 1 at 14 percent complete nationally - still significantly lagging the five-year average of 33 percent. In the important I-80 Corridor encompassing the key corn production areas between Nebraska and Ohio, Nebraska made good progress moving up to 28 percent done, but still behind its average pace of 34 percent. The other I-80 states are FAR behind their normal pace with Illinois only showing seven percent planted when it should have 43 percent in the ground by now. Iowa didn’t fare much better with nine percent planted versus its average of 42 percent.
Soybean planting moved to eight percent completion nationwide compared to its average of 13 percent. In the I-80 Corridor, Nebraska also leads this category with 19 percent planted which is amazingly five points ahead of normal. The 3-I states of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana are all at least 10 points behind their five-year average pace.
The national cotton planting is 16 percent complete this week which is one point ahead of average. The largest producing state of Texas is 20 percent done, leading its average pace by three points. North Carolina is five points ahead of its average pace with 11 percent in the ground. Meanwhile, Georgia, Mississippi, and Alabama are all slightly behind their average pace.
Grain sorghum (milo) planting barely budged since last week as it only went up by one percentage point to 20 percent nationwide. The key growing state of Texas now stands at 66 percent planted which trails its average by five points. Oklahoma only has three percent of its acres planted - eight points behind normal while the other Plains states are just getting started.
Rice planting made a big jump last week, pushing the national number to 45 percent, but it is still running 11 points behind the average by this time of year. The big drag on the national number continues to come from Missouri where they have only planted 5 percent of their intended acres - an amazing 46 behind their 51 percent average! Arkansas is also significantly behind with only 40 percent planted compared to its average of 59 percent. California finally makes an appearance putting in 20 percent of its rice crop in its first week.
Peanut planting is three points behind its average pace nationally where it is pegged at 10 percent complete this week. Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia are fairly close to where they should be by now. However, Alabama and South Carolina are having limited success keeping up.
Spring wheat planting is now 19 percent complete nationwide which is still nine points behind its five-year average pace. North Dakota is still having issues getting much in the ground due to the continuing wintry and soggy weather which has held it to only five percent completion. Idaho is up to 57 percent planted, but still 10 points behind its average.
Nationally, oats planting stands at 45 percent completion which puts it 13 points behind its average of 58 percent. It’s noteworthy that only South Dakota has made good planting progress on oats as of Sunday while all the other key producing states are running well behind where they should be due to the cold, wet conditions.
Winter wheat condition remained unchanged at 27 percent in the combined good to excellent categories. However, the poor to very poor ratings increased by four percentage points. The biggest change in the Plains states was South Dakota improving by eight points in the good to excellent ratings.
USDA released its first national pasture condition numbers for 2022 with an incredible 56 percent of the nation’s pastureland registering in the poor to very poor categories. Only 18 percent could muster a good to excellent rating. In the huge cattle producing states of the Plains, Texas has 74 percent of its pastureland in poor to very poor shape with only nine percent rated good to excellent. Nebraska stands at 73 percent poor to very poor with six percent good to excellent. The Nebraska ratings definitely reflect the raging wildfires seen there in the southwestern part of the state last week. Outside of the Plains, Montana registered a staggering 89 percent in the poor to very poor categories.
In the topsoil moisture deficit category (generally considered to measure the top four inches of soil representing the seed planting and sprouting zone), New Mexico takes full control of the leadership position with 90 percent of its acreage showing up in the short to very short categories. Colorado moves into second place with 88 percent.
In the subsoil moisture deficit category (considered to measure deep soil moisture down to a few feet where the crop roots would extend downward), New Mexico leapfrogged over Montana with a rating of 93 percent short to very short. Wyoming’s subsoil moisture deficit increased by eight points since last week, putting it in second place with 86 percent rated short to very short.
