News

Heavy rains and flooding delay planting progress

Planting delays are likely to continue as much of Kentucky continues to battle historic flooding.

Caleb Ragland farms in the central part of the state. “I just hope that there’s some left for the critical growing season throughout the later spring and summer,” he says.  “I guess time will tell.”

According to the USDA’s weekly Crop Progress and Condition report, 1 percent of corn and soybeans have been planted, both are behind both last year and the 5-year average.  Tobacco transplants that have been seeded are at 31 percent complete.  Winter wheat is in 37 percent good to excellent conditions.  Pastures are 56 percent good to excellent, but floods and heavy rains will cause conditions to deteriorate. 

He tells Brownfield while there are flooding delays, he doesn’t expect it to impact his planting intentions. “We’re in the area where prevent planning is not a normal thing,” he says.  “This will be my 20th crop, and I don’t recall ever filing an acre of prevent plant.”

Ragland says he typically starts planting in the last half of April, but this year he’s yet to spray any burndown.

Topsoil moisture and subsoil moisture are 100 percent adequate to surplus.

AUDIO: Caleb Ragland, Kentucky