Crop Planting Slides To Muddy Halt

Missouri farmers continue to dry out from the deluge that wrapped up April, as planting progress over the past week significantly slowed.  The weekly Crop Progress report found that with 1.9 days suitable for fieldwork, just four percent of fields were planted in the past week, bringing planting progress to 67 percent.  While 22 points behind a year ago, progress is still 12 points better than the five-year average.  Emergence is one point behind a year ago at 48 percent, and double the five-year average.  Similarly, soybean planting is now double-digits behind a year ago, with 30 percent planted as of Sunday.  While 14 points better than average, farmers had 45 percent of their soy fields planted at this point a year ago.  Emergence is also just shy of year-ago levels at 17 percent, 12 points better than normal.

Planting in the Bootheel remains faster than a year ago, with 34 percent of the state’s cotton planted.  That’s a four-point improvement from last year and 19 points ahead of normal pace.  Rice planting is now behind last year’s rate by five points, at 77 percent.  That’s still 25 points above normal.  Emergence is 11 points behind a year ago at 41 percent, which is 11 points better than the five-year average.  The first condition ratings of the year have 80 percent of the state’s rice paddies in good to excellent shape versus nine percent poor.

Wheat fields soaked up the ample moisture, as 76 percent of Missouri’s crop is now headed, 40 points more than a year ago and 42 points stronger than the five-year average.  82 percent of fields are rated good to excellent, up four points on the week, against two percent poor.  Pastures greened up even more, with 71 percent in good to excellent shape, up 11 points from last week.  Just five percent of fields are rated poor.

35 percent of Missouri topsoil and 16 percent of subsoil are believed to have excess moisture, compared to four percent of topsoil and ten percent of subsoil being short or very short.