The state’s weekly crop progress and condition report has been released and shows planting is slightly behind last year’s rates. Last week, there were 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork for farmers. The fieldwork included planting oats, corn, and soybeans, and applying anhydrous and dry fertilizer.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 42 percent of corn planting is complete in the state. This is five percent behind last year when 47 percent of the crop had been planted. Soybean planting reached 27 percent, which is nine percent behind 2025 when 36 percent of the crop had been planted. Oats planting reached 88 percent, 2 percent behind last year when 90 percent had been planted.

State Climatologist Justin Glisan explains that April began with above normal temperatures. The statewide average temperature was 50.7 degrees, 3.2 degrees above normal. Four-inch soil temperatures were in the mid- to upper-50s statewide as of last Sunday.

Topsoil moisture condition was rated one percent very short, nine percent short, 81 percent adequate and nine percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition was rated two percent very short, 13 percent short, 78 percent adequate and seven percent surplus.