Planting across southern and South Central Minnesota made significant progress in the past 10 days. Corn planting advanced to an estimated 70 percent complete; soybean planting has progressed to 23 percent complete. A couple days with warm sunshine last week advanced corn to an estimated 8% emerged. Although great planting progress has been made, much of Minnesota remains below the 5-year planting progress average. Recent rains have brought field work to a halt throughout most of the state.

South Central Minnesota missed the snow that was forecasted last week and received only a few scattered showers instead. The last two days of warm sun has planters on the move. The areas around Renville, Bird Island and Willmar have been planting corn since May 3, whereas the Redwood Falls / New Ulm area was finally able to start on Monday. Areas in southwest and southeast Minnesota are still too wet for fieldwork. Our first Latham® super strip corn plot in Minnesota was planted yesterday afternoon southeast of Sleepy Eye.