News

Short planting windows likely for some

The chief science fellow with Nutrien Ag Solutions says many farmers will have short planting windows this spring.

Eric Snodgrass says forecasts are calling for an active weather pattern in the eastern Corn Belt.

“East of the Mississippi, we are likely going to be seeing tight windows this spring.”  He says, “In other words, we don’t blow the doors open for two weeks and plant the entire crop.  We’re doing it patchwork wise. When these little three-to-four-day windows open.”

He tells Brownfield wet springs are becoming a familiar challenge for producers.

“I did the study from 1981 to present.”  He says, “We’ve lost about five workable field days in Illinois.  That’s through all of April and May, but five workable field days is huge.  That increased frequency of spring rainfall has done that to us overall.”

However, Snodgrass says those spring rains are needed this year as many areas continue to recover from the fall drought.

“Is there actually more drought on the drought monitor going into 2025 than there was in 2012?  There actually is.”  He says, “In fact, there’s double what we had last spring.”

Snodgrass says forecasts are calling for an increased risk of drought and a drier planting season west of the Mississippi River.

Brownfield spoke with Snodgrass during the ribbon cutting for Nutrien’s new Innovation Farm located near Champaign, Illinois.

AUDIO: Eric Snodgrass – Nutrien Ag Solutions