April 26, 2011
 

2011 US corn planting is less than last year

In contrast to last year, the percentages of corn planting in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, and Minnesota decreased by at least 50% as compared, according to the USDA's crop progress report.

This difference is the biggest ever noted. On the other hand, when compared to their state's progress report from last year, Colorado and Texas showed an increase of 3% and 5%, respectively.

9% of the corn is in the ground in the top-18-corn-producing states, according to the USDA's crop progress report. Half of the states have yet to begin planting or fall under the national average.

North Carolina (71%), Tennessee (34%) and Texas (66%) lead the states in corn planting. Kansas (29%) was the only state to report an increase when compare to their state's five-year average. Illinois (10%), Indiana (2%), Iowa (3%), Michigan (1%), Minnesota (0%), North Dakota (0%), Ohio (1%), Pennsylvania (1%), South Dakota (0%) and Wisconsin (0%) showed less than 1% improvement from last week.

Overall, the states are 37% behind last year's national report.