A majority of this year's corn crop is already planted in Iowa, and farmers have reported that the crop has begun to emerge slightly ahead of schedule.
This year's warm climate meant that farmers across the country pushed their planting schedule ahead to take advantage of the nice weather. Tractors have been buzzing the past few weeks in Iowa, where 64 percent of this year's corn crop is already in the ground.
According to the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, some of this crop has already begun to show - even though many farmers haven't even begun planting yet. In total, 23 percent of the state's crop has emerged, about four days before the historical point for that figure.
Farmer Brad Feckers has already planted 2,500 acres of corn, and plans on plowing an additional 500 acres for planting before the season is done. However, the farmer told the news source that all of the corn he planted has already begun to show - even seeds he had just planted a week ago.
"The ground temperature is good and it's coming up nice and green, not with a yellowish tint like some had the last couple of years. It's off to a good start," Feckers told the news source.
Planting windows are incredibly important to ensure a good crop yield, but much depends on the individual farmer and the weather cooperating. Historically, planting before May 5 has assured the greatest eventual yields, according to Iowa State University Extension data. The window from May 5-15 typically yields 4 percent less, while the 15th to 25th time period represents a 13 percent decrease in crop.
Farmers who want to get their corn in the ground before it's too late will need the right agricultural equipment for the job. The online auction site IronPlanet offers a wide variety of sprayers, tractors and much more to help farmers get their planting season underway. The site's IronClad Assurance allows buyers to view full inspection reports before they buy, so they know exactly what they're getting.
