WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. growers have already started planting barley, corn, cotton, oats, rice, sorghum, spring wheat, and sugar beets, according to the very first weekly crop and weather report of the 2021 planting season.

“By this time last year, 2 percent of the corn crop had been planted; 2 percent has been planted so far in 2021,” said the USDA Crop Progress Report, released April 5. “Six percent of the cotton crop has been planted, 1 (percent) behind the same time last year. 

“Fourteen percent of the sorghum crop has been planted, 1 (percent) behind a year ago,” the report added. “Barley, oats, rice, spring wheat and sugar beet plantings are similar to 2020 progress.”

The USDA crop progress reports are released the first workday of the week during the growing season from April through November. 

The reports also list planting, developmental, and harvesting progress, and overall condition of selected crops in major producing states. Crops featured include corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, sorghum, cotton, oats, barley, peanuts, sugar beets, and sunflowers. 

In addition, the reports document soil moisture condition, days suitable for fieldwork, and pasture and range condition. These reports cover planting and harvesting activities, crop development, weather data, and timely crop management information provided by farmers, the USDA, and state university experts.   

In Illinois, there were 3.6 suitable days for field work during the week ending April 4. Statewide, the average temperature was 45.6 degrees, and precipitation averaged 0.04 inches, 0.84 inches below normal. 

Illinois winter wheat headed was 2 percent, up 1 percent over the 5-year average. Winter wheat condition was rated 4 percent very poor, to 13 percent excellent. 

In Indiana, a relatively dry week helped bring soil moisture levels down to more moderate levels after what had been a wet March for much of the state, said Nathanial Warenski, state statistician. 

He said the average temperature for the week was 44.1 degrees Fahrenheit, 3.4 degrees below normal for the state; the amount of rainfall varied from none to 0.67 inches over the week. 

“Relatively dry conditions over the past week allowed growers to make progress with tillage and fertilizer applications, though moisture from the previous week’s rainfall limited fieldwork in some areas,” he said. 

“Winter wheat crop conditions were higher than both last year and the five-year average, with 69 percent rated in good to excellent condition,” he said.

In Iowa, warm and dry days allowed farmers 4.3 suitable days for fieldwork, which included applying anhydrous and fertilizer, spreading manure, and planting oats.

“With recent warm and dry conditions across the state, many farmers are eager to begin fieldwork, with an eye towards planting,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig. 

“Farmers should be cautious though as cold snaps and a late spring freeze are possible through the end of April,” he added. “Chances of rain are also back in the forecast.” 

State Climatologist Justin Glisan said, “Drought and abnormally dry conditions cover about 41 percent of Iowa, which is the lowest extent since the end of June 2020.” 

The state’s crop and weather report also said 12 percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 3 days ahead of last year.

In Kentucky, cold temperatures were prevalent through most of the week before giving way to warm weather over the weekend ending April 4, said David Knopf, USDA field office director in Louisville.

“The warm up allowed farmers to resume spraying and fertilizing fields for the 2021 crop season,” he said. “A very small amount of corn has been planted at this juncture; however, farmers will ramp up fieldwork in the coming weeks.” 

He said winter wheat is in mostly good condition at this time; however, there were multiple nights of sub-freezing temperatures across the state. 

“With that said, very little freeze damage is reported currently,” he said. “Alfalfa also shows very little freeze damage; however, for both crops, the damage may not be readily apparent. Strawberries were susceptible to the untimely freeze, and, like alfalfa and wheat, will be monitored over the foreseeable future.”

In Michigan, much of the state experienced a fairly mild and dry week, marked by various reports of early field work, said Marlo Johnson, USDA Great Lakes Regional Office director.

“Winter wheat condition looked promising, with a reported 69 percent of the crop rated in good to excellent condition,” she said. “Dry conditions allowed some growers to begin seeding early oats. Sugar beet producers also took advantage of the cooperative conditions, and began planting.

“After a very cold trend in February, much warmer-than-normal temperatures in March pushed growing degree day totals higher than normal,” she added. “Temperatures crashed late in March, and fruit growers were checking for damage. A drier-than-normal March allowed for good progress in pruning. First green tissue on early apple varieties was observed on the Ridge.”

Like Michigan, Ohio’s 2021 growing season began with cooler and drier than last spring, leading to more opportunities for fieldwork, said Cheryl Turner, state statistician.

“To start the season, producers readied equipment for planting, hauled manure, and performed tillage,” she said. “Topsoil conditions were drier this year in comparison to last year. 

“Oats were 9 percent planted, compared to 8 percent last year,” she added. “Winter wheat jointing was 3 percent, while the winter wheat crop was rated 77 percent good to excellent condition.” 

In Tennessee, heavy rains resulting in widespread flooding caused limited field work, the state’s crop and weather report said. 

“Damage from the flooding is still being assessed,” the report said. “Those that were able to work in the fields applied anhydrous ammonia and burn-down applications in preparation for planting. 

“Fall-planted wheat is reported in mostly good condition, despite potential impacts from flooding, and two freeze events,” the report added. “Corn planting is expected to start in full force in the coming weeks as weather allows,” with 3.4 suitable days for field work.

For the spring 2021 planting season outlook, Glisan said the final April climatological outlooks issued by the Climate Prediction Center show elevated chances of warmer-than-average temperatures for most of the United States, including the High Plains, the Midwest, and the Appalachians. 

“On the precipitation front, there is no clear signal for Iowa, the Midwest or the Appalachians; outlooks continue to show a moderate La Niña configuration, with above-average probabilities of dryness from the High Plains into the Desert Southwest,” he said. 

“La Niña is forecasted to persist through early spring, with an 80-percent chance of transitioning into a neutral phase of El Nino-Southern Oscillation during late spring and early summer,” he said. 

An El Nino-Southern Oscillation is a periodic fluctuation in sea surface temperature (El Niño) and the air pressure of the overlying atmosphere (Southern Oscillation) across the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

“Seasonal composites of rainfall behavior into summer show that if La Niña is present, drier conditions could prevail across portions of the Midwest,” Glisan said.

Dennis Todey, director of the USDA Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, Iowa, said, “Currently, the planting season over most of the Corn Belt should go well once we get past the cold period coming” in the next week.  

“Soils are wet only in small areas, and the dryness right now is just enough to allow for quicker planting,” he told Farm World. “Soil temperatures are also in pretty good shape.  

“Our concern 4-6 weeks ago was that we had dry soils, and the summer outlook included some hotter-drier possibilities,” he added. “We have added some soil moisture, but the risk for the season is still valid. The risk of hotter and drier is higher further into the Plains, but does cover more of the Corn Belt as the season goes along.” 

He said there will be some colder conditions coming into this week (starting April 12) that will slow soil warming.  

“I expect some planting will start, but more will go in earnest the latter part of the week,” he said. “The outlook is relatively dry, so soils should still be available to plant readily.” 

However, he said he has some mild concerns right now about the current drought areas in the central-eastern Corn Belt, and the Appalachians. 

“The larger concern is as the summer continues,” he said. “Overall, outlooks lean toward warm through the season. Precipitation risk is more of a problem in western areas, less of a concern east right now.”