According to USDA’s latest crop report, 95 percent of the nation’s corn crop had been planted by the week ending June 1, compared to 99 percent a year ago and a five-year average of 98 percent. Sixty-three of the nation’s crop is listed in good to excellent condition.

U.S. cotton planting is 83 percent complete, ahead of last year’s 80 percent and only slightly behind the five-year average of 84 percent. Planting is essentially complete in the Mid-South states of Arkansas, 99 percent, Missouri, 100 percent, and Louisiana, 95 percent, but is lagging slightly behind in Mississippi and Tennessee, both at 90 percent complete.

Planting of the U.S. soybean crop, at 69 percent complete, is lagging behind last year’s pace of 86 percent, although there was a 17 percent increase in planting progress from the previous week, when a little over half of the crop was in the ground.

email: erobinson@farmpress.com