From DTN Progressive Farmer:
This article was originally posted at 3:03 p.m. CDT on Monday, May 23. It was last updated at 4:02 p.m. CDT on Monday, May 23.
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OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. farmers logged another productive week last week, pushing corn planting to near the three-fourths completion mark and soybean planting to the halfway point, USDA NASS said in its weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.
The gains came despite weather being a limiting factor to planting in some parts of the country.
"Two different storm systems brought widespread showers to the majority of the country last week," said DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick. "Heavy rain fell in North Dakota, while more fell from eastern Kansas through Missouri and Arkansas and just about all areas east of the Mississippi River. A mix of rain and snow fell in Colorado on Friday and Saturday, amounting to over a foot on the Palmer Divide. Other areas in the Western Corn Belt saw more spotty and streaky precipitation events over the week, which may have allowed for some better progress."
CORN
-- Planting progress: 72% nationwide as of Sunday, May 22, another substantial jump of 23 percentage points from 49% the previous week. That continued to push planting closer to the five-year average, now 7 percentage points behind the average of 79%.
-- Notable states: Farmers in the "I" states again made significant progress last week. Illinois' corn planting jumped ahead 23 percentage points to reach 78% complete as of Sunday and is now equal to the state's five-year average. Indiana moved ahead 24 percentage points to reach 64% complete, just 4 percentage points behind average. And Iowa jumped ahead 29 percentage points last week to reach 86%, now just 3 percentage points behind normal. Farmers in the Dakotas also were able to speed up field work, with planting in North Dakota moving ahead 16 percentage points to reach 20% complete, still 46 percentage points behind normal; and South Dakota advancing 31 percentage points to reach 62% complete, 9 percentage points behind normal....****.... -- Crop condition: Nationwide, winter wheat was rated 28% good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from 27% the previous week. That's the lowest such rating since the drought of 1989, noted DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman....
....MUCH MORE
