Farmers in 6 States Have Started Planting Corn, USDA Says

Today USDA released the first Crop Progress report of the season.

Corn Planting Progress

USDA said as of April 6, 2% of this year’s corn crop has been planted in the top 18 corn-growing states. That’s on track the five-year average of 2%.

According to today’s report, corn planting has begun in six of the top 18 states:

• Kansas: 4%
• Kentucky: 1%
• Missouri: 6%
• North Carolina: 6%
• Tennessee: 3%
• Texas: 59%

This time last year, seven states had started planting corn — Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

Oat Crop Progress

Across the nine top oat-growing states, 31% of planting is complete, according to USDA. That’s ahead of the five-year average of 28%.

A quarter of the oat crop across three of those nine states has emerged, just ahead of the five-year average of 23%.

Winter Wheat Progress

USDA reported that 5% of the winter wheat crop across five of the top 18 states had headed as of April 6. The five-year average is 5%.

Winter wheat condition for the week ending April 6 was as follows:

• Good/excellent: 48%
• Fair: 31%
• Poor/very poor: 21%

Spring Wheat Progress

In five of the top six states, 3% of the spring wheat crop has been planted, on track with the five-year average of 3%.

Idaho leads the six top states with 21% of its spring wheat crop planted.