Progressive Ag Marketing Report with Lilja
According to the weather guys in 2022 North Dakota experienced its second wettest April in 128 years of records and the 8th coldest. So far May is tracking as the 7th wettest. I lost my sense of humor after seeing the towns spring cleanup dumpsters full of basement carpets. I’ve been in 4 properties basements in the past few weeks and have heard of plenty others experiencing water problems. I rounded up a couple neighbor boys to help me remove a retired neighbors basement carpet. It’s all fun and games until you are hauling out basement carpet. It reminded me of the time I hauled out carpet from my basement after a sewer malfunction in town. Since that one was the cities fault, I placed the large pile of carpet as close to the street as I could with a sign that said “Compliments of your Local Sewer System”. We were new to town and my wife was not impressed as to the impression I was making with the neighbors. I said I’m putting everyone on notice, particularly anyone who is looking at the two houses down the block that are for sale. We weren’t warned about the low side of town, so the least I can do is warn any potential new homeowners with young children. Evidently, someone got the message because there was an excavator digging a block down the street and the problem was solved within a month. It was probably the same person that removed my sign.
US crop progress reports are showing the delayed planting progress in the northern plains. Spring Wheat was 49% planted vs. trade expectations of 56%. This compares to the 5-year average of 83%. This is the slowest planting pace on record for North Dakota and the US, falling behind 1995 and 2011. North Dakota is 27% planted vs. 80% normal and Minnesota is 11% planted vs. 90% normal. These states grow 2/3 of the US spring wheat crop. Spring wheat emerged is at 29% vs. 50% normal. Barley and Oats plantings are running 1314% behind normal.
US winter wheat ratings improved 1% to 28% good to excellent, 32% fair and 40% poor to very poor. Trade was expecting steady to a 1% improvement. This compares to 47% g/e, 35% fair and 18% p/vp last year at this time. Winter wheat headed is at 63% vs. 65% normal.
Corn plantings were at 72% vs. 79% average. The “I” states got 23-29% of corn planted last week. Trade was expecting 68%. This showed 23% of the US corn crop planted last week along with 27% the prior week. Corn emerged is at 39% vs. 51% average. North Dakota reports 20% planted vs. 66% average.
US soybean planting is 50% complete, 1% above the trade estimate. This is up 20% from last week and now only 5% behind the 5-year average. Illinois is 62% planted, Indiana is 50%, Iowa is 69%, Minnesota 32%. North Dakota is 7% planted, the slowest in records back to 2000 with its average for this date 47%. North Dakota is the 4th largest soybean planted area.
North central North Dakota, southeastern Saskatchewan and most of Manitoba received additional 0.25 to 0.5 inch rains over the weekend which is adding to planting delays. This area is favored for rainfall over the Memorial Day weekend. The 6-10 day forecast cooled considerably for the northern plains. The 6-10 day is much warmer than normal for the central and eastern cornbelt. Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin show the highest likelihood of rainfall. 8 to 14 day outlooks also call these states wetter than normal.
Progressive Ag Marketing, Inc. and is, or is in the nature of, a solicitation. This material is not a research report prepared by Progressive Ag Marketing’s Research Department.
Tom Lilja is an employee of Progressive who writes this column for the Times-Record.