New USDA crop progress numbers show U.S. farmers moving quickly through the 2026 spring planting season, with plantings for major row crops running ahead of recent averages. 57% corn planted nationally, the agency reports, compared with a five-year average of 52 percent. Soybean planting has reached 49% soybeans planted complete, while spring wheat stands at 53 percent planted, about two points above its five-year average.
Planting progress
While planting pace is strong overall, USDA and crop advisers note uneven emergence in some areas. Winter wheat remains a particular concern: the agency rates 40 percent of the crop as poor to very poor, while just 28 percent falls into the top category, leaving significant acreage at risk of reduced yield potential.
In parts of Maryland and other Mid-Atlantic pockets, advisers report soybean stands that are slower to develop than expected after planting. Crop advisor Ben Hushon of The Mill described fields that have been in the ground more than three weeks and are up but still small for their age, a sign that early-season temperatures and soil conditions are limiting early growth.
Emergence and conditions
Advisers say warmer temperatures forecast this week should stimulate growth in sluggish fields, helping stands catch up where emergence was delayed. Farmers and agronomists are watching stand counts closely now to decide on any replanting or in-season management decisions, since early vigor can influence herbicide timing and early nutrient strategies.
USDA's national snapshot underscores the mixed picture: planting is ahead of the recent norm for corn, soybeans and spring wheat, yet crop condition ratings for winter wheat show widespread stress. The agency's weekly progress update gives producers and markets a current look at where acreage sits in the ground and how early-season conditions are evolving, with 40% winter wheat poor a key data point market participants are monitoring.
Potato growers also received a new benchmark this season for comparing fertilizer, pesticide and pest-management practices across major production states, offering another decision tool for specialists and growers tracking inputs and outcomes.
USDA's latest progress figures — including 57 percent of corn planted, 49 percent of soybeans planted and 53 percent of spring wheat planted — provide the current baseline for planting completion and early crop condition assessments.
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