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Still plenty of time to finish planting

Mother Nature brought planting to a screeching halt in parts of the Corn Belt this week.

But, Illinois based agronomist Matt Montgomery, with Burrus Seed, says there’s still plenty of time for farmers to finish up planting without sacrificing yield.  “When we get to looking at yield potential and the reduction in yield potential – when it comes to corn – honestly we have to go a little further into May before we see that yield potentially begin to shave off,” he says.

He tells Brownfield those half-bushel a day or bushel a day yield losses aren’t staring farmers in the face just yet.

Montgomery says while some farmers in the Corn Belt have had a slow start – others have not.  “It’s a real mixed bag,” he says.  “If you suffered that really devastating rainfall in 2015 out to the west in places like Missouri, you were pretty quick to get on corn this year.  And understandably so.”

However, he says farmers in the Eastern part of his coverage area, which stretches into Central Illinois, were able wait for more ideal soil conditions.  “They had the luxury to do that,” he says.  “And they probably played it just right.”

AUDIO: Matt Montgomery, Burrus Seed