WEAU
ALTOONA, Wis. (WEAU) - Farmers in southern states are starting to plant their crops. Texas farmers have about a quarter of their 2021 corn crop planted while farmers in Louisiana have 14% of their corn in—both states showing about average progress. There are also reports that some of the spring wheat crop is being planted in North Dakota.
In South America farmers are trying to harvest their soybean crop. But it’s been tough. Reports from Mato-Grasso state, the largest corn and soybean producing area in Brazil, show they’ve had more than 32 inches of rain in the past 45 days causing flooding and lost crops. But crop observers still say Brazil’s soybean crop will reach 132 million metric tons and the corn crop will come in at 105 million metric tons. About 80% of those beans in Brazil have now been harvested.
China is buying more U.S. corn. This week the USDA announced China has bought another 1.15 million metric tons, or about 45 and a half million bushels from us. That’s their second largest buy from the U.S. in 2021. Through March 4th their total corn buys from the U.S. have reached 18.7 million tons as they try to rebuild the world’s largest hog herd in their battle to contain and get rid of African Swine Fever.