USDA: Corn Plantings Have Picked Up, But Still Behind

U.S. farmers are making the most of a respite from what has been a wet spring to get their corn crops planted. However, the pace still keeps them well behind schedule.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Monday that 28 percent of the nation's cornfields have been planted, up from just 12 percent a week ago. But the latest numbers are well short of the 65 percent of the crop that already was in the ground by this date over the previous five years. At this time last year, 85 percent of the corn was planted.

Just 17 percent of the corn crop in Illinois is sown, 11 percent lower than in Missouri. As the nation's biggest corn producer, Iowa has just 15 percent of its crop planted.