Nebraska corn planting passes halfway point

Farmers in Nebraska made good planting progress again over the past week.

USDA reported today that farmers in the state have 52 percent of their corn acres planted - up from 27 percent last week. A year ago only 28 percent of the crop was planted - the five-year average is 42 percent.

USDA also noted that as of yesterday, 3 percent of the crop was emerged. This figure stood at 0 percent last year. The five-year average is 5 percent.

Nationally, 33 percent of the crop is planted, which is up from 22 percent last week and 24 percent last year. It is still well behind the five-year average of 50 percent.

Should we get a few dry days in the eastern Corn Belt, those numbers will change dramatically.

Illinois, for example, is only 5 percent completed. A year ago, 25 percent of the crop was in the ground already. Iowa, though, is 60 percent completed.

The image above was provided to the Nebraska Corn Board from the Chase County FFA.