USDA released its sixth Crop Progress Report of the 2024 growing season recently. Here's a look at the most recent corn, soybean, oat, and wheat numbers.
Corn crop progress
USDA says as of May 5, 36% of the 2024 corn crop has been planted in the top 18 corn-growing states. This is up from 27% the week prior but behind the five-year average of 39%. This is the first time this season corn planting progress was reported behind the average.
Ryan Gentle, Wyffels agronomy manager based in Marietta, Illinois, says, “We have been at a virtual standstill dating back to around April 22. A lot more beans are planted than corn. I would estimate 60% of beans are planted and 25% of corn is planted in the area.”
Gentle explains his area has been wet. Canton, Illinois, for example, received 1.31 inches of rain in the past week. “No field work was accomplished except for very minimal spraying on no-till fields,” he says. “We had some bad storms roll through the Macomb/Canton area and several growers lost sheds and grain bins. These storms also brought hail. I have visited a couple of bean fields around Canton that will need replanted due to the cotyledons being knocked off.”
Corn has started to emerge in 15 of those states. Twelve percent of the crop is out of the ground, up from 7% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 9%.
These 18 states planted 92% of the corn crop in 2023.
Soybean crop progress
With progress at 25%, USDA says soybean planting is underway in all of the top 18 growing states. This is up from 18% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 21%.
Soybeans have emerged in 15 of the 18 states. Nine percent of the crop is out of the ground, ahead of the five-year average of 4%.
Oat crop progress
USDA says across all nine of the top oat-growing states, 70% of the crop has been planted, up from 63% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 61%.
Forty-nine percent of the crop has emerged, up from 42% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 42%.
Winter wheat progress
USDA says 43% of winter wheat has headed across 12 of the top 18 growing states. This is up from 30% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 32%.
According to the report, the condition of the winter wheat crop in the top growing states currently rates as follows:
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This week
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Last week
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Good/excellent
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50%
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49%
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Fair
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34%
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35%
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Poor/very poor
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16%
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16%
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Spring wheat progress
USDA says spring wheat planting progress in the top six growing states is at 47%, up from 34% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 31%.
In all of those states, spring wheat has begun to emerge. A total of 12% is out of the ground, up from 5% the week prior and ahead of the five-year average of 9%.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Overall, planting appears to be moving forward for all crops except corn. Wet conditions in some key corn production areas are hampering progress. But farmers battle Mother Nature every year and are prepared for the fight with additional tractors and planters in reserve and by working very long hours when the window presents itself. Barring a complete weather disaster, farmers typically do a very good job of getting the crops in the ground in a timely manner. If they don’t, it can spell disaster for the entire year. We don’t expect them to fail. This is a great time for you to offer parts and service specials that can keep them going during this very critical time of the year. The last thing they need is a breakdown with their trusty work trucks.
