The latest report from USDA shows farmers were able to bring corn planting progress to within four points of the five-year average last week. Eighty-six-percent of projected corn acres were planted as of May 26th – a big jump from the 28-percent planted just two weeks prior. The five-year average for this point in the season is 90-percent. National Corn Growers Association President Pam Johnson says farmers again demonstrated that by working tirelessly and using new technology that allows them to cover more ground in less time they can accomplish an incredible amount given the smallest planting window. Johnson – a grower in Iowa – says farmers planted more than half of the corn acres in the country in just two weeks. She says they are working hard to grow the food, feed, fuel and fiber that the country and world need.
Corn emergence also made significant gains over the past week. Overall emergence stands at 54-percent of the total corn acres in the top 18 corn-producing states. While this still lags behind the five-year average of 67-percent – it closes the gap significantly as just 19-percent had emerged the prior week.
