Spring Planting Update: Corn and Soybeans Near Completion as Wheat Approaches Heading
Certified Crop Advisor Ben Hushon with The Mill joined Market Day Report this week from the Eastern Shore of Maryland following a 4R Nutrient Stewardship meeting. The field conditions report this week carries a tone that has been largely absent through most of this spring season: things are going well, and growers are making the most of an exceptional stretch of planting weather.
Planting Conditions Have Been Just About Perfect
The defining characteristic of the past several weeks across Maryland and southern Pennsylvania has been sustained, workable weather. Ben described conditions as exceptionally good for planting, with light showers moving through the region rather than significant rainfall events. That pattern has been ideal. Crops are getting enough moisture to germinate and establish without the kind of heavy rainfall that stops equipment and saturates soils.
A fellow Certified Crop Advisor in Pennsylvania, Eric Rosenbaum, summed it up plainly when speaking with Ben earlier that morning: planting is just about perfect. Coming from an agronomist who has watched this spring unfold from the beginning, that assessment carries real weight.
Corn Is Being Planted Everywhere
Corn planting is in full swing across the community. Ben described activity as widespread, with planters rolling across the region taking advantage of every available day. The combination of warmer soil temperatures, dry conditions between shower events, and a backlog of motivation built up through a difficult March and early April has pushed corn planting progress to a strong position heading into May.
The daily priority question for many growers right now is simply which task to tackle first. Corn planting, soybean planting, and triticale chopping are all competing for equipment and attention simultaneously, and the dry conditions are allowing all three to happen at a meaningful pace.
Some Growers Have Already Finished Planting Soybeans
In a noteworthy development for this point in the season, Ben reported that some growers in the community have already completed their soybean planting. That is an encouraging benchmark. Early planted soybeans, particularly those going in under good soil conditions with adequate moisture, have the best opportunity to establish strong stands and take full advantage of the growing season ahead.
The light shower pattern that has been moving through the region has played a direct role in making early soybean planting successful. Without heavy rainfall interruptions, growers have been able to move efficiently through acres and get seed in the ground under consistent and favorable conditions.
Triticale Chopping Is Underway for Dairy and Beef Operations
A new activity is visible along roadsides across the region that may look puzzling to those unfamiliar with the spring farm calendar. Fields that appeared full of green growth, resembling rye or an overgrown cover crop, are being cut down and chopped at a rapid pace. Ben explained that what many people are seeing is triticale, a hybrid of wheat and rye commonly grown as a forage crop for dairy and beef operations.
Dairy farmers and some beef producers in the community are actively harvesting triticale for silage, capturing the high-quality forage before the crop reaches maturity and quality declines. The light shower pattern has produced a strong triticale crop this spring, and the timing of harvest is aligning well with the broader planting schedule across the region.
For anyone driving through agricultural areas and watching a seemingly healthy green field disappear within a day or two, triticale chopping is almost certainly the explanation.
Wheat Is Looking Good With Heading on the Horizon
Wheat continues to develop well across the region. Ben noted that the crop is looking good so far and anticipated that by his next Market Day Report appearance, he would be showing wheat that has moved into the heading stage. That timeline puts heading right on schedule for the region, with harvest still expected to begin around the Fourth of July.
The light shower pattern that has benefited corn and soybean planting is also supporting wheat development. Moisture arriving in small, consistent increments rather than heavy events keeps the crop moving forward without the standing water and disease pressure that complicated last year's wheat season so significantly.
Commodity Markets Are Providing a Strong Backdrop
The favorable field conditions this spring are unfolding against a commodity market backdrop that is broadly supportive for Mid-Atlantic growers. Several key crops are trading meaningfully higher year over year, which adds economic weight to the agronomic decisions being made across the region right now.
Wheat is the standout performer. Prices are up 19% year over year and trading at 11-month highs, a meaningful development for growers managing a crop that is now approaching heading. Soybeans are up 16% year over year and have been on a seven-day winning streak, reaching $11.90 per bushel on the November contract. Corn is up 5% year over year, trading near $4.97 per bushel.
For growers who endured a difficult spring from a field conditions standpoint, these market numbers offer some economic encouragement as the season moves into its most active phase.
Connect With The Mill's Agronomy Team
The Mill's agronomy team is actively working with growers across Maryland and southern Pennsylvania through corn and soybean planting, wheat management heading into the flag leaf and flowering stages, and fertility programs for newly established acres. With the season moving quickly and commodity markets providing a favorable backdrop, now is the time to make sure every agronomic decision is dialed in.
Connect with The Mill's Agronomy Team to keep your spring program on track as the season moves into its most critical stretch.
