Punctual Planting

Nebraska soybean producers this year were well ahead of their typical planting progress entering May. As of May 3, 40% of Nebraska’s projected soybean acres were planted according to the weekly progress report from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The average progress for the same week between 1996 and 2022 was 14%. Planting of this year’s corn crop, though, is lagging, 43% versus an average of 51%. Nebraska producers were leading their counterparts nationwide too. For the U.S., 38% of the corn crop was planted and 33% of soybeans.

Figure 1 shows the average weekly progress for corn and soybean planting between 1996 and 2022 along with this year’s progress. The start of soybean planting usually begins in earnest around April 22 and ends mid-June. Planting of corn typically starts around April 8, with the bulk of the crop planted between April 21-May 21. This year is unusual in that soybean planting is keeping pace with corn when it is generally two weeks behind.

Figure 1. Weekly Corn & Soybean Planting Progress, 2026 vs. 1996-2022 Average

NASS projected 19.34 million acres in Nebraska will be in field crops this year, down 200,000 acres from 2025. Fewer corn acres, 10.30 million, are expected while soybean acres are expected to rise to 5.2 million, 7% above last year. Warm and dry conditions are contributing to the state’s prolific planting progress. Markets are closely monitoring progress and speculating what it could mean for crop production and prices. Farmers invest billions when planting a crop, hopeful for a return in October. The Nebraska Corn Board estimates Nebraska corn producers will spend $3.8 billion on seed, fuel, and fertilizer this spring. The dollars invested and growing season challenges like pests, disease, and weather mean anxious days and nights for farmers in coming months. Hopefully, the returns will come in October.

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