It’s discouraging when the writer in the family is busier than the farmer, but if your planter was in the shed this week take solace– so was ours.  And since misery loves company, here’s the latest USDA report showing national corn planting progress falling behind last year and the five year average.

Texans are doing well, with more than 60 percent planted and ahead of schedule but Kansas is well behind at just nine percent when the average is twice that. Illinois at six percent is half the average and Missouri has only 17 percent of the crop planted compared to the average of 25 percent and last year’s record progress at this time when over half of the crop was already in the ground.

Cotton planting is running right around the five year average at eight percent and sorghum is also about average at 21 percent.