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USDA Reports Planters Pushing Ahead

The corn crop is officially 28% planted, which is nearly twice as much as usual by this time of year, according to the latest USDA crop report. Hot spots include Illinois with 59% planted, Indiana at 46%, Kentucky at 75%, Missouri at 50%, North Carolina at 79%, Tennessee at 88% and Texas at 65%.

Iowa, which has had a soggy week, picked up a few more acres planted, but still lags behind its five-year average, and the Hawkeye state is the only one reporting it's off its five-year average.

As for an emerged crop, Illinois is showing 21% emerged, which is well above an average of 1% for the five-year time period. Kentucky is 35% emerged, Missouri is 21% emerged, North Carolina is 47% emerged, Tennessee is at 61% and Texas at 53%.

Overall average or emergence is 9%, compared to 2% for the five-year period.

Soybean planters are moving out too now. Arkansas reports 28% planted, Indiana 11%, Louisiana 33% and Mississippi with 40%. Overall the amount of acres planted to soybeans is 6%, which is about three times the 2% five year average.

The sorghum crop is running about average with 21% planted. Peanuts are about 5% planted, which is great since no acres were in the ground last week.

Sugar beets are big winners with 60% in the ground, which is twice the five-year average. Michigan reports 100% of its sugar beet acreage is in the ground.

About 65% of rice acres are now planted and 49% is emerged.

The percent of winter wheat heading out is running ahead of average as well at 42%, which is well ahead of the normal 15% headed.

Spring wheat acres, already at record levels topped 57% planted in the past week, that's nearly three times more than normally planted according to the five-year average. And already 18% of that wheat is heading out.