Farm News
05-19-06
Farmers shift focus as ‘prime’ corn planting window passes
By KRISTIN GREINER- Farm News staff
Corn and soybean planting trudged on this week, although planting in some
wetter areas across the state had been temporarily delayed.
Almost half of the state’s soybeans had been planted as of Monday, at 41
percent, with northwest and central Iowa leading the pack having an estimated
30 percent of their total estimated acreage planted. Corn planting reached 92
percent this week, which is 3 percentage points lower than last year’s pace of 95
percent, but still 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 84
percent, according to the state crop report released by the Iowa Department of
Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Early-planted corn continues to emerge, with a 42 percent emergence rate that’s
5 percent ahead of both last year’s and the 5-year averages.
Iowa State University (ISU) Extension field crops specialist Joel DeJong,
who is based out of LeMars, said the two northern counties in his territory still
have quite a bit of corn to plant.
“It has been too wet in many fields—probably about 75 percent of the corn has
been planted in those two counties—the other counties are probably over 95
percent,î” DeJong said. “The lower five counties have about one-third of their
beans in with none emerged. Corn is about 30 percent emerged. It looks yellow
and is struggling a bit in some neighborhoods, because it has been cool and the
surface is very dry. Warm weather will help.”
Paul Kassel, a field crops specialist for ISU Extension based out of Spencer,
said most of the corn in his region has been planted, although there still is some
corn to be planted in the northern portion of his area.
“About 50 percent of the soybeans have been planted—some people are done
with beans and some haven’t even started,”î Kassel said. “There are no huge
crop problems, just a few reports of stand problems in low areas.”
While DeJong and Kassel reported virtually no pest problems, ISU Extension
field crops specialist John Holmes reported the detection of black cutworm
found near Scranton.
“This would match our expectations from the Easter weekend flight of cutworm
moths,”î said Holmes, who is based out of Clarion. “Corn planting is essentially
done in my area of central Iowa. Emerged corn is pale due to cold weather.
Warm weather will improve the crop appearance and vigor of the corn.”
Soybean planting is progressing in the Clarion area and he estimated that 50
percent of the fields were planted prior to the rain received late last week, which
varies depending upon the area and amount of rain received, he said.
“I expect to see soybean planting resume mid-week,” Holmes said on Monday.
“There was rain late in the week last week and over the weekend. Some areas
near Webster City/Blairsburg received as much as three inches. I am not aware
of any emerged soybeans other than in research plots. We are seeing high
numbers of bean leaf beetles in alfalfa and ditches, so I expect to see bean leaf
beetle feeding on soybeans as they emerge.”
Unfortunately, Holmes said he has noted “seriousî soil erosion” from farm fields,
something he attributes to farmers working fields too close to the road ditch.
“There is no grass in the fenceline to stop soil from moving into the ditch as
water leaves the field,” he said.
Planting delays elsewhere in the Corn Belt in the coming week or so will have an
impact on the year’s planted acreage and potential corn and soybean yields.
Most plants have been behind normal in several key states, but they are not
serious, noted Robert Wisner, a grain economist at Iowa State University.
“However, delays beyond May 22 would be a concern, from the standpoint of
increased frost and yield risk in the northern states next fall and possible
increased vulnerability of yields to dry weather during the pollination season.
Delays beyond May 22 could also push some intended corn acres in these states
into soybeans,î” Wisner reported. “Planting progress for the first two-thirds of the
corn was well ahead of last year’s early planting season in much of the western
Corn Belt as well as in Kentucky, Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio, and was near
last year’s early pace in Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.”
Soybean plantings are running later than normal in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Kentucky and Minnesota. However, in mid-May, that is not yet a serious concern,
Wisner said.
Based upon the USDA’s supply and demand reports released May 12, Wisner
said he and others anticipate very large stocks.
“The reports showed the U.S. corn carryover stocks being cut in half by 8/31/07
versus what is expected this year. My projections are a bit higher, based on
some acreage shifts since the March planting intentions report and strong, but
slightly less optimistic demand projections,” Wisner said.