Wheat Development and Corn Planting Behind Schedule
Slow start was expected; but big lag in Corn Belt.
Compiled by staff
Published: Apr 15, 2008
With the continued onslaught of wet weather this spring, corn planting was expected to have a slow start, a prediction that was confirmed by USDA's first official crop progress report. Only 2% of corn has been planted, which is behind the five-year-average of 7% at this time.
USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says Illinois is lagging on planting and that wet conditions have put several other states seriously behind their normal planting pace.
"In Kentucky only 1% planted with a five-year-average of 26%," Rippey says. "We also have Missouri with only 2% planted compared to the five-year average of 32% and Tennessee with 5% versus 42% for the five-year-average."
The crop report also shows that winter wheat heading is also slightly behind the normal pace with only 4% at that stage, but considering freezing conditions that struck over the weekend, it may be a blessing that cold weather has delayed development of the winter wheat crop. Last year, when an April freeze hit, more than 21% of winter wheat had reached the heading stage.
Rippey says wheat conditions are being impacted by a combination of weather. Despite recent rains in the High Plains, dryness is still an issue and the wet conditions of the mid-South and lower Midwest continue.
"We are looking at a winter wheat crop that is now rated 47% good to excellent," Rippey says. "But 20% of it is rated poor to very poor."
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Tagged: wheat, winter wheat, usda, corn planting
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