Iowa farmers have been running their planters through the fields at a record pace. Some farmers had to harvest crops left in the fields from last year before getting planting underway this spring, but that hasn’t slowed the new planting.
The latest report from the U.S. Ag Department says near-perfect field conditions pushed the amount of corn acreage planted up to 68% at the end of last week, that compares to 19% that was planted the week before. The report says this is the most corn that’s been planted by this time in April in state history.
The corn planting is 11 days ahead of last year and 13 days ahead of the five-year average. All nine districts of the state reported over 55% of the corn acreage was planted, with central Iowa leading at 81% planted.