Late spring could mean lower yields in the fields
by C. A. Ray
The winter that won’t end is becoming the spring planting season that’s hard to get started in west central Minnesota. According to the University of Minnesota Extension Service, by the end of a normal April, 41 percent of the fields in which corn is going to be planted has been prepared for planting. This year a measly three percent of the corn ground has been prepared.

Beans are no better, only one percent of bean ground has been prepared in Minnesota as opposed to a five-year average of 10 percent by this time.

Spring wheat planting has gotten underway in Minnesota but only six percent has been planted so far. The five year average is 33 percent.

It is the same story with sugar beets: only 10 percent has been planted so far, down from the five-year average of 42 percent.

Kerry Zimmerman of the Farm Service Agency in Elbow Lake, said the weather reports for the week doesn’t indicate things will get moving anytime soon.

“It is just too cold,” he said. “Even with crops that are planted, nothing is happening, they are not germinating. They are just sitting there.”

Zimmerman said if the weather pattern doesn’t improve soon, farmers are going to be looking at some severe yield losses. He produced a chart showing the percentage of yield loss for corn and soybeans planted after certain dates:

If planted after May 10, expect a six percent loss in yield for corn and a two percent loss for soybeans.

If planted after May 15, expect a nine percent loss in yield for corn and a three percent loss for soybeans.

If planted after May 20, expect a 12 percent loss in yield for corn and a six percent loss for soybeans.

If planted after May 30, expect a 16 percent loss in yield for corn and a 13 percent loss for soybeans.

Zimmerman said spring wheat should be planted by May 1 for a normal crop.

Zimmerman said, although subsoil moisture is down this spring and needs replenishing, top soil moisture is fine, so if the ground warms up, planting will get going fast and furious.

“Its really amazing how fast farmers these days can get their crops in,” he said. “With all the Roundup Ready varieties, there is no need for pre-plant chemicals.”

Zimmerman said it appears there will be less corn planted in Grant County this year than last year, which was the biggest year for corn in decades.

“The input costs are just too high,” he said, mentioning fertilizer and fuel.

It looks as though there will be five to ten percent more soybean acres planted however, especially if the weather patterns continue as they have.

The late spring planting season stretches all the way south to the Midwest corn belt as well, which means corn should command higher prices come harvest time.

“We just need it to warm up,” Zimmerman said.

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