News

USDA says corn planting pace slower in Missouri

Aaron Porter farms in southeast Missouri and he says recent rains and flooding have delayed planting.

“Typically, we’d like to plant soybeans first, but due to the almost 12 inches of rain we got last week, that put us off so we’ll switch to soybeans shortly after corn, getting that done in the next week. Hopefully, planting cotton the first week of May.”

In northeast Missouri, farmer Drew Lock just started planting corn yesterday.

“I’d be planting soybeans right now if my planter was going, but I’m waiting on some parts. So I’m planting corn instead.”

But there are areas making decent progress. In west-central Missouri Jordan Bredehoeft says corn planting is halfway complete on his farm.

“It’s been pretty dry, but surprisingly, there’s some moisture out here and I’m not too concerned right now. If we get everything planted ahead of the weekend rains, I think we’ll be sitting pretty good.”

USDA says 9 percent of the state’s corn crop is planted, an increase of 3 percentage points from the previous week, slower than this time last year. One percent of the corn is emerged.

All three farmers say soybean planting is expected to pick up after the next rain comes in the next few days. As of Sunday, USDA says 5 percent of the state’s soybeans are planted, behind last year’s pace.

Cotton planting has started. Missouri’s rice planting is 6 percent complete and nine percent of the winter wheat is headed.