Planting has begun, but area still way behind

Press Staff Report

Although many area farmers have been able to begin their planting, heavy rainfall last week kept the progress significantly below the average rate.

Statewide there were fewer than 3 days last week suitable for fieldwork, according to the weekly report by the National Agricultural Statistics Service with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

As of Sunday, only 9 percent of the corn crop and 0 percent of the soybeans crop had been planted in the northcentral district of the state that includes Floyd County.

The local effort was well behind the statewide total progress of 40 percent corn and 11 percent beans that had been planted this year by Sunday.

The state’s corn planting rate was slightly behind the 48 percent average set in the previous five years, but right on the 11 percent pace in soybeans over the previous five years.

Once those seeds do get in the ground they should find plenty of moisture. Topsoil and subsoil moisture were both rated 68 percent adequate and 32 percent surplus in the northcentral district. That’s better than other parts of the state such as the southcentral and southeast districts that reported significant shortages.

Michael Timlin, regional climatologist, said all but the southeastern corner of the state had above normal rainfall last week, and more than half the state had twice the normal amount or more.

“Temperatures averaged 5 to 10 degrees above normal, a welcome change on the heels of the coldest April on record,” Timlin said. “Freezing temperatures were reported on the 30th of April, but then remained above 40 degrees for the rest of the week.