News

Forecaster: Planting wx improving this week

After a winter-like early April, the Corn Belt will have warmer temperatures next week which bodes well for planting.

“The storm systems seem fairly quiet as we’re looking ahead. And for the benefit of most people across the upper Midwest, it looks like there will be warmer than average temperatures. Or, at least closer to average temperatures throughout much of next week that will provide an opportunity for planting progress to start,” says Dennis Todey, director of USDA Midwest Climate Hub in Ames, Iowa.  He tells Brownfield Ag News, “There’s been a big delay in planting so far, obviously, and we’ll have to wait and see how soil temperatures respond. But, at least no big cold outbreaks it looks like so there will be an opportunity for some progress on the fieldwork.”

Todey says the northern edge of the Corn Belt still has snow on the ground and some of that ground is frozen. At this point, sugar beets and spring wheat are the farthest behind for planting.

AUDIO: Interview with Dennis Todey~