Spring Planting Begins In Many Areas Of The Midwest

Like the start of a big NASCAR race or the beginning of a Championship game, many farmers in Southern Minnesota and Iowa began full-scale field work during the week of April 13-19. Farm operators in many portions of the western Corn Belt have reported almost ideal soil conditions; however, rainfall and wet soil conditions during the first half of April have delayed the initiation of major fieldwork in much of the eastern Corn Belt. It appears that the 2025 planting season may be similar to last year in much of the Upper Midwest, with fairly favorable corn and soybean planting conditions in the last half of April. Having favorable weather and planting conditions in April is always a big plus for getting the corn and soybean crop off to a good start.
Some areas of the Midwest received some much-needed precipitation in late March and early April, including additional rainfall this past week in some areas. Much of the south central and southeast Minnesota received 2-3 inches of precipitation in the past three weeks, with even higher amounts in localized areas, which has delayed planting progress in some areas. Precipitation amounts have been significantly less in the Western Corn Belt.
The recent precipitation followed extremely dry conditions during most of the Winter and the first half of March. This continued a dryness pattern across the Upper Midwest has existed since last Fall. In the latest USDA weekly crop report, the percentage of topsoil moisture in various States that was listed as “short” or “very short” included: both South Dakota and Nebraska 72%, Kansas at 54%, North Dakota at 54%, Iowa at 31%, and Minnesota at 28%, with Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Wisconsin at less than 10 %. The levels of top soil moisture are below normal for early in the growing season in most areas of the Western Corn Belt.
Many areas of the Western Midwest and Plains States have remained quite dry in recent weeks. The most recent U.S. Drought Monitor on April 15 showed the “abnormally dry” or more severe drought listing at 70 percent or higher in most of the States in the region. South Dakota, North Dakota, and Nebraska were the driest States in the Western Corn Belt with 36 to 40 percent of each State in the “severe” or “extreme” drought category. The percentage of “severe” or “extreme” drought in Minnesota and Iowa was less than 10 percent. Only a small portion of the eastern Corn Belt was listed as “abnormally dry” or worse in the latest Drought Monitor summary. The good news is that drought conditions have improved in many potions of Minnesota and Iowa in recent weeks. The very dry conditions and “drought-like” conditions have continued in most areas of Nebraska, North and South Dakota, as well as adjoining areas of western Minnesota.
In years such as this, with an early start to the planting season, crop producers need to pay attention to the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) planting date guidelines to maintain full crop insurance coverage for the 2025 corn and soybean crop. The earliest corn planting date allowed by RMA to maintain full crop insurance protection in most of Minnesota and Iowa was April 11, while April 21 is the earliest planting date allowed for soybean planting for full insurance coverage. For initial and final planting dates in all States and other Federal crop insurance information, please refer to the RMA website at: https://www.rma.usda.gov/.
Soil temperatures during early April remained below levels for ideal corn planting in many areas of the Upper Midwest. At the University of Minnesota Research and Outreach Center near Waseca in Southern Minnesota, the 24-hour average soil temperature during the first week of April was near 40 degrees Fahrenheit at the 2 to 4-inch level; however those soil temperatures warmed up to near 50 degrees by April 13-18, which is near the minimum desired soil temperature for good corn planting and seed germination conditions. Soil temperatures should warm up rapidly in the Upper Midwest, with some much warmer temperatures expected by late-April. Farmers and agronomists tend to pay close attention to soil temperatures early in the growing season; however, soil temperatures become less of a concern by late April. At that point, getting the crop in the ground gets to be more of a priority rather than soil temperatures, as the ideal corn planting window gets much shorter.
Research shows that 50 percent corn emergence will occur in 20 days at an average soil temperature of 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is reduced to only 10 days with an average soil temperature of 60 degrees F. The likely enhancement in soil temperatures certainly provides optimism to have favorable conditions for corn germination and seedling growth. The warmer soil temperatures are also favorable for the initiation of soybean planting, which usually occurs in late April and May in many areas. Every year is different, and agronomists encourage producers to adjust to soil conditions and weather forecasts when making corn and soybean planting decisions.
Unless conditions turn very wet in the next few weeks, a large majority of corn in Minnesota could easily be planted before the end of April or early May this year. Corn planting delays can significantly impact final corn yields. In both 2018 and 2019 a majority of the corn was planted from mid-May until early June. According to the USDA Weekly Planting Progress Report, only 2 percent of the corn in Minnesota had been planted at the end of April in 2019, which was about 15 days behind normal. Minnesota’s corn yield declined from record yield levels in 2015, 2016 and 2017 to 182 bushels per acre in 2018 and only 174 bushels per acre in 2019. In 2023, only 5 percent of the corn was planted by May 1 and the final statewide corn yield of 185 bushels per acre.
Historically, early planting of corn usually leads to higher-than-normal state average corn yields in Minnesota and other Upper Midwest States. In several years when 50 percent or more of the corn acres in Minnesota have been planted in April or the first week of May, the State has usually set or been near a record corn yield. In 2015, corn planting in Minnesota was 83 percent completed by May 3, resulting in a record yield of 188 bushels per acre, which was followed with 89 percent of the corn planted by May 8 in 2016, again resulting in another record statewide corn yield of 193 bushels per acre. In 2020, when 76 percent of the corn was planted by May 3, the statewide corn yield was 192 bushels per acre, just short of the statewide record corn yield. One exception was in 2017, when most of Minnesota’s corn was planted in the first two weeks of May; however, very favorable growing conditions throughout the year in most areas resulted in a statewide record corn yield in 2017.
The record corn yield of 195 bushels per acre in 2022 was also an exception to this trend, as Minnesota did not achieve 50 percent of the corn planted until around May 15. It should be noted that a much higher percent of the corn in Southern Minnesota had been planted by May 10, and the counties in the southern third of the State were largely responsible for the record statewide corn yield. Another exception was in 2021 when 71 percent of the statewide corn acreage was planted by May 3; however, the 2021 average corn yield in Minnesota was only 178 bushels per acre due to drought conditions in many portions of the State that reduced yields. In areas of the State that received adequate rainfall, the 2021 corn yields were above average to near record levels. In 2024, 54 percent of the corn in Minnesota was planted by May 12 and final statewide yield was 174 bushels per acre, with final yields greatly impacted by excessive June rainfall, as well as drought in some areas later in the growing season.
Once farmers have completed planting their corn acres, most farm operators will likely move directly into soybean planting. A majority of soybean producers in the Upper Midwest strive to plant soybeans in late April and early May; however, the ideal window to plant soybeans and still achieve optimum yields is much wider than with corn. The ideal soybean planting time frame in most areas extends from mid-April until mid-May. Similar to earlier corn planting dates, research does show that with favorable growing conditions there is a yield advantage to planting soybeans in late April or early May, as opposed to planting in late May.
With the addition of the recent rainfall, soil conditions have been described as “almost ideal” for Spring planting by farm operators and agronomists in many areas the Upper Midwest. Significant amounts of precipitation have slowed planting progress in some areas; however, most crop producers in the region should be able to begin full-scale corn planting once soil conditions are fit. The recent precipitation should also provide adequate topsoil moisture for good corn germination and emergence in most of this region; however, periodic moderate rainfalls during planting season can be beneficial for good seed germination and early season plant growth.
For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst, Green Solutions Group Phone - (507) 381-7960; E-mail - [email protected]