(Bloomberg) – U.S. farmers accelerated corn, soybean and wheat planting last week after drier weather firmed soils to support heavy machinery used in fieldwork.
About 87 percent of the corn crop was seeded as of yesterday, up from 71 percent a week earlier and 56 percent a year earlier, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said today in a report. The average for the previous five years is 66 percent. An estimated 56 percent of the plants had emerged from the ground, compared with 16 percent a year earlier, the USDA said.
About 46 percent of the soybean crop was planted, compared with 24 percent a week earlier and the previous five-year average of 24 percent, the USDA said.
Planting of the spring-wheat crop rose to 94 completed as of May 13, up from 84 percent a week earlier, the department said. The average for the date for the previous five years is 64 percent.
To contact the reporter on this story:Jeff Wilson in Chicago at jwilson29@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Steve Stroth at sstroth@bloomberg.net.
