Northeast Iowa Crop Conditions

Welcome to the 2022 growing season. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much to report on this growing season up to this week. April was one of the coldest on record throughout a large part of the Midwest, and combined with frequent rains, left little chance for planting progress. A small amount of planting took place at the very end of April, but for most operators, the past week has been the first chance for serious field work. We have had well above normal temperatures this week and limited rain, and it is likely that well over half the corn crop and a good share of the soybeans will be put in the ground by the end of the week. The forecast for next week looks good for further progress as well.

This year will be the latest planted crop since 2013, and the question of yield potential will be asked. Historically studies show that corn planted by May 15th still has 95% of full yield potential, and that climate conditions later in the growing season play a much bigger role in final yields. Along with this, the crop is now going into very good soil conditions and warm soils that will speed emergence. Yes, we would prefer to see the crop planted in late April, but we are still optimistic on the start to this growing season. We enter the season with improved soil moisture conditions compared to last year. We have received moderate rains throughout April and early May that helped recharge subsoil supplies but most areas have avoided heavy rails that leave soil crusted.

The grain markets keep things interesting. We had a large run up in price when the Ukrainian conflict started, and these prices have largely held up over the last several weeks. The war in the Ukraine and its effects on exports of last year’s crops and planting of this year’s crops is a wild card that the market has not had to deal with. One market analyst made a good point, in that the world has not had a war in a major crop growing region since World War II, so we are truly in historic times. On top of this Russia is a major energy and fertilizer producer, so we have additional factors to consider from the production side of agriculture. Crop prospects in the remaining major growing areas of the world will be watched extra close this year given the supply constraints likely from the Black Sea region. The late start for our growing season and less then optimum weather in South America are helping to support the markets at this time.