A break in the weather allowed farmers in Central and Northern Indiana to finally make significant progress with corn and soybean plantings, according to Greg Matli, Indiana State Statistician for the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. While the top two-thirds of the State enjoyed drier weather, the South continued to have rain showers and cool temperatures, delaying planting progress. Statewide average temperatures were below normal at 56.5 degrees.
Statewide precipitation was 0.53 inches, below normal by 0.39 inches. There were 3.5 days available for fieldwork for the week ending May 22, up 2.4 days from the previous week.
By region, soybeans planted was 40% complete in the North, 36% in Central, and 9% in the South. Soybeans emerged was 12% complete in the North, 12% in Central, and 4% in the South. Although planting progress remains behind schedule, farmers were able to move forward and narrow the gap.
Conditions were ideal for cutting hay in Central and Northern Indiana this week. In the South, many acres of hay are ready to be cut once the fields dry out. Wheat and triticale were cut for haylage this week. Weed pressure remains present in crop fields.
