date:May 15, 2013
of May 12 compared with 52% a year earlier and 28% as the five-year average.
Soybean planting stood at 6% as of May 12 compared with 43% last year and 24% as the average, the U.S.D.A. said. Planting in top producing Iowa was only 1% completed compared with 30% as the average for the date, and planting in No. 2 Illinois had yet to begin compared with 19% as the average.
Better progress was made in spring wheat and sugar beet planting during the past week. Spring wheat planted in the six major