Cold Weather Continues to Affect Corn, Soybean, and Wheat Planting Across U.S.
Freezing rain accompanied the cold in parts of the U.S., coating corn in ice
Reuters today reported that rain and late-season snow continues to affect corn, soybean, and winter wheat crops across the U.S.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly report released on Monday, U.S. farmers have planted just 12% of their intended corn acreages as a result of the weather. The Iowa field office of the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service stated, “Temperatures dropped low enough for snowfall to be seen across much of Iowa. Records for both May snowfall and coldest daily high temperature were set in some areas.” Iowa, Reuters reports, is the nation’s top producer of corn; while corn planting progress in Iowa was up 2% from last week, it was still the slowest since 1995.
The USDA’s weekly report also reveals soybean planting was just 2% complete as of last Sunday, “tied with 1983 and 1993 for the second-slowest pace by early May.” Winter wheat crops are also feeling the effects of the weather. Although the USDA rated 32% of winter wheat crops planted to-date in “good to excellent condition,” Reuters reports seedings of spring wheat, particularly in the Plains states, are continuing to lag due to cold and wet conditions.
Last week, the USDA’s Agricultural Weather Highlights indicated the Midwest would experience rain and heavy snow as a slow-moving storm moved across the region, delaying improvements in conditions needed before crop fieldwork and planting could be done. According to the Reuters report, cold weather continues to affect crops across the U.S.