Spring Crop Update: Soybeans Slow to Emerge as Hay Harvest Rolls and Warm Weather Arrives
Certified Crop Advisor Ben Hushon with The Mill joined Market Day Report this week from a soybean field where the story of a cool, dry May morning was written right in front of him. Temperatures in the 40s, a modest quarter inch of rain over Mother's Day weekend, and soybeans that have been in the ground for 24 days but are not yet showing the growth growers want to see. The good news is that warmer days are finally on the way.
Mother's Day Weekend Brought Less Rain Than Hoped
Growers across Maryland and southern Pennsylvania were hoping for a meaningful rain event over the Mother's Day weekend. What arrived fell short of that mark. Ben reported roughly a quarter inch of rain came through, a welcome amount but not the multi-day soaking that would move the needle on dry soil conditions that have persisted since the heavy spring planting push began.
What the dry conditions have enabled, however, is an unusually active hay and forage harvest for this point in the season. With limited rain interrupting drying windows, growers have been cutting, tedding, and baling hay at a pace that Ben described as widespread across the region. Driving through the community from Friday through the weekend, the activity visible from the road included mowing hay, cutting wheat, chopping triticale, and rolling up forage in nearly every direction. Ben noted that neighbors at the Miller Farm just down the road were actively rolling hay on the morning of his segment.
Farmers Are Running Multiple Operations Simultaneously
The volume of activity happening on Mid-Atlantic farms right now is remarkable. Corn and soybean planting is still active for growers with remaining acres. Hay and forage harvest is in full swing for livestock and dairy operations. Triticale chopping continues for those who did not complete it earlier in May. Wheat management is ongoing as the crop approaches the heading stage.
Each of these tasks is weather-dependent in its own way, and the narrow windows of dry and warm conditions mean growers are making rapid daily decisions about where to deploy equipment and labor. The dry stretch that has complicated soybean emergence is the same stretch that has made hay harvest conditions nearly ideal, creating a situation where one challenge is another operation's opportunity.
Soybeans Are Up but Running Behind
Last week Ben reported on soybean fields that had been in the ground for an extended period without adequate moisture to push them cleanly through the surface. A viewer followed up over the weekend asking whether those soybeans had finally emerged, and Ben addressed that question directly from the field.
The answer is yes, they are up. The field Ben was standing in had soybeans that had been in the ground for 24 days and they had emerged. The concern is that the plants are noticeably small for their age. A soybean that has been in the ground for nearly a month under good conditions should be further along in development than what Ben was observing in this field.
Two factors have contributed to the slow development. The first is the dry conditions that slowed germination and early root establishment. The second is a frost event that moved through the region the previous week, leaving visible nip damage on some of the emerged seedlings. Ben acknowledged that looking across the field, finding the ideal stand of 140,000 plants per acre would be a challenge at this point.
The important qualifier Ben offered is that soybeans are a very resilient crop. The capacity to compensate through additional branching and pod set when stand counts fall below ideal is one of the characteristics that makes soybeans forgiving relative to other row crops. Growers should assess stands carefully before making replanting decisions, as soybeans can often produce acceptable yields from stands that look concerning at this early stage.
Warm Weather Is on the Way
The forecast is the most encouraging element of this week's spring crop update. Ben reported that 80 degree temperatures are expected within the next four to five days, a meaningful shift from the 40 degree morning he was reporting from. Even the day of his segment was overcast and cool without sunshine.
Ben described the three inputs that power crop development simply: heat, sunshine, and water. All three are expected to arrive later in the week. That combination, particularly the heat and sunshine arriving after soybeans have already pushed through the soil surface, should accelerate development and help the crop close the gap on a slow start. Warm temperatures drive rapid soybean growth during the early vegetative stages, and a sustained stretch of 80 degree days can move a lagging stand forward quickly.
Commodity Markets Continue to Support Growers
The market backdrop for Mid-Atlantic growers remains broadly favorable heading into mid-May. Wheat is the standout, now trading 25% higher year over year at $6.28 per bushel on the July contract and leading all row crops. For growers managing a wheat crop that is approaching heading, that price context adds real weight to every fungicide and fertility decision still ahead.
Soybeans are holding strong at 14% higher year over year, with the November new crop contract at $11.96 per bushel. Corn is up 7% year over year, trading near $4.96 on the December contract. The combination of favorable market conditions and a crop that has largely been planted under good conditions sets a positive foundation for the season ahead, provided the weather cooperates through the critical summer growth stages.
Connect With The Mill's Agronomy Team
The Mill's agronomy team is actively supporting growers across Maryland and southern Pennsylvania through early season crop scouting, stand evaluation, wheat management heading into the flag leaf and flowering stages, and fertility programs for corn and soybean acres. With warm weather arriving and crops needing close attention through the next several weeks, having an agronomist in your corner makes a real difference.
Connect with The Mill's Agronomy Team to keep your crops on track as the season moves into its most critical growth period.
