Crop update: Nebraska corn 78% planted

Nebraska farmers had 78 percent of the corn crop planted as of yesterday, the USDA said today in it's weekly crop progress report. That's up from last week's 48 percent. It's also one day ahead of last year's 74 percent planted by this point and four days ahead of the five year average of 65 percent planted.

Nationally, 81 percent of the crop is in the ground - compared to 68 percent last week and 62 percent for the five-year average. A year ago only 46 percent of the nation's corn crop was in the ground.

USDA said 16 percent of Nebraska's corn had emerged from the ground, which was near last year's 17 but ahead of the 14 percent average. Nationally, 39 percent of the crop had emerged, compared to 13 percent last year and the average of 21 percent.

In Nebraska, some of that corn faced some cold weather and potentially freezing conditions over the weekend. Other than some rain and clouds for the next day or two, though, weather looks to improve heading into the weekend. Some sun and warmth will get corn off to a great start.

This week's photo comes from the Facebook page of RAK Farms. If you look closely, you'll see two bits of green - two corn plants just emerging from the soil.