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Farmers struggle to finish planting corn, soybeans

Ag/Outdoor

June 3rd, 2013 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Wet fields from too much rain continues to delay corn and soybean planting in Iowa reaching the point where farmers are likely to see at least some reduction in this fall’s harvest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Iowa farmers planted only an additional 3 percent of the crop last week. Corn is 88 percent planted, behind the five-year average of 99 percent. Seventy-three percent of corn plants have emerged from the ground. Normal is about 91 percent.

Iowa soybean farmers have just 44 percent planted, trailing the five-year average of 91 percent. Nationally, just 57 percent of soybeans are in the ground, significantly behind the five-year average of 74 percent.