Corn Planting Progress in Ohio is Slow but Coming Along

By Osler Ortez

Better weather: more planting

April was a difficult month for farmers in Ohio; conditions were cold. Some snow and late freeze events were part of the month. This was conducive to limited water evaporation/evapotranspiration, and hence, generally, soils stayed wet.

Getting into May, the first week was still wet with some more precipitations spread around the state. As we move forward into May, warmer and drier weather would help push planting progress around the state. According to models, chances for freeze in May seem to be over on a positive note. The last Ohio weather report can be accessed here for more information.

Corn planting: USDA Crop Progress reports

For the week ending on May 1^st, 2022, corn planting progress in Ohio was at 3%, while emergence rates were virtually 0%, which is understandable due to the weather conditions outlined above. For the week ending on May 8^th, 2022, corn planting progress in Ohio only increased to 5%, while emergence rates remained at 0%.

Planting and emergence progress in 2022 is slower than records from past years. Progress in Ohio for the week ending on May 8^th in 2021, planting was at 26% and emergence at 8%. If looking at the 2017-2021 averages for that same week, 27% of corn was planted, and 6% emerged.  

On the other side of the Corn Belt (May 8^th, 2022 report), states like Iowa (14% planted) and Nebraska (39% planted) have had stronger starts to the planting season. Like Ohio, closer east, Indiana (11% planted) and Pennsylvania (13% planted) are also having a slower start.

Certainly, some areas of Ohio can have more progress than others. The results presented in these reports can be variable, and they give a general understanding of the overall condition for each of these states. If you would like to see some more information on weekly Crop Progress Reports, you can access the USDA-NASS information here.