Eastern Cornbelt: Spring planting surged ahead in Indiana and Ohio at mid-month thanks to dry conditions and warmer weather.
Activity remained spotty in Illinois due to wet field conditions in some areas, but the cool weather pattern there was breaking. Temperatures reached 91 degrees in Chicago on May 14, up dramatically from a low of 36 degrees just one day earlier.
Corn planting had progressed to 46 percent complete in Ohio by May 12, compared with 30 percent in Indiana and 17 percent in Illinois. Progress in Ohio jumped nearly 40 percentage points in one week and was near the five-year average of 49 percent. Illinois growers, however, were still trailing the five-year average by some 57 points at mid-month.
One Illinois source commented that May 10 is often cited as a planting deadline for corn, after which crops will often see yield reductions. He said corn growers in some areas of the state were planting in high gear last week, and would likely have all the corn seeded by May 17.
Spot ammonia pricing was pegged in the $740-$750/st range FOB Illinois terminals and $760/st FOB in Indiana, which was down from last report. “Shipments have picked up somewhat, but not gangbusters,” said one Illinois contact.
Western Cornbelt: Planting and spring fieldwork moved into high gear in the region at mid-month, thanks to dry weather and record-high temperatures. The heat wave came just two weeks after an early May storm blanketed much of the region with record snowfall.
The region saw a number of temperature records broken during the May 12-14 period. Tuesday’s highs reached 108 degrees in Tekamah, Neb., and 103 degrees in Norfolk, Neb., just two days after a daily record low of 29 degrees was recorded in Norfolk. Similar temperature swings were recorded in Omaha, Neb., where highs on Tuesday climbed to 101 degrees after a low of 32 degree on May 12, and in Sioux City, Iowa, where a low of 29 degrees on May 12 was followed by a high of 106 degrees on May 14.
The warm weather fueled a frantic planting pace last week. “We’re going,” said one Iowa contact at midweek. “This is the week we’ve all been waiting for.” A Missouri source said growers in his trade area were still “picking spots” due to wet fields in some locations.
Sources said a few growers were shifting corn acres to soybeans at mid-month, and others reported a move away from preplant anhydrous in favor of later sidedress applications of urea or liquid nitrogen. One Iowa source said preplant ammonia volumes were down 6-8 percent from last year in his trade area, but ammonia was still moving to the field in the region. “Ammonia is just about wound down, and UAN is ramping up,” he said.
Ammonia pricing remained at $680-$685/st FOB Nebraska terminals, $710-$720/st FOB in Iowa, and up to $725/st FOB Palmyra, Mo. Missouri sources also quoted delivered ammonia in the $715-$725/st range from southern production points.
Northern Plains: Summer-like temperatures hit the region last week. In Minnesota, Rochester posted a record-high 97 degrees and Minneapolis reached 98 degrees on May 14, while highs in Albert Lea and St. James climbed to 102 degrees on that date. Those readings were all the more remarkable because all four locations notched lows in the 20s and 30s just one day earlier.
The hot, dry weather produced a flurry of spring fieldwork. “We’re in the heat of applications and spring planting right now,” said one Minnesota source at midweek. Added a North Dakota contact, “We’ve been swamped.”
North Dakota sources reported long truck lines at ammonia terminals last week, with some locations reportedly on allocation. Delivered ammonia continued to be reported at the $787/st level for availa