Planting Ahead of Schedule, Way Ahead of Last Year

 What a difference a year makes.  Progressive Farmer:

Corn planting continues to rocket along with 71% of the crop reported in the ground. That compares to 53% last week, 32% last year and a 47% average rate. Corn emergence is reported at 32%, compared to 15% last week, 6% last year and a 13% average.

"Corn planting was 4 percentage points above the average pre-report guesstimate," said Sanow. "The big five -- Illinois (89% vs. 27%), Indiana (84% vs. 3%), Iowa (64% vs. 52%), Minnesota (73% vs. 20%) and Nebraska (74% vs. 45%) -- are all running well ahead of last year.

"Given that recent precipitation has been mostly favorable, the drum could start beating much louder that USDA will raise its 164 bushels per acre estimate at some point. This report should be considered bearish."

Spring wheat planting is 84% complete, compared to 74% last week, 19% last year and a 49% average. Emergence is reported at 47%, compared to 30% last week, 5% last year and a 17% average. "North Dakota is reportedly 77 percentage points ahead of last year's planting pace," Sanow said. "This report could be considered bearish."

With this week's forecast clearing up, we may finish planting before we started last year.