According to last week’s USDA report, only 12 percent of corn has been planted in my area, which is less than half that was planted at this time last year. Western and central Nebraska and South Dakota have a pretty good start – probably 80 percent of farmers are planting now. Eastern Nebraska has been really slow to get started. I would say only 60 percent of producers are in the fields in that area. Colorado is doing really well, with 85 to 90 percent of growers out in the fields.

Whether or not farmers actually are running late, they feel like they are, compared to last year. So far, producers aren’t making major changes. With a limited supply of seed corn this year, growers are saying they need to get it right the first time because chances of replanting are diminishing.

Primarily corn has been planted so far, but a few soybeans are in the ground in different places. In the far northwestern part of Nebraska, sugar beets is the crop that’s furthest along in planting. The weather’s been cool in the evenings, mornings and at night, but days have been warm, so that’s allowed producers to get in the fields.

Growers have been using the Case IH True-Tandem™ 330 Turbo to get into wet fields and work the top layer of soil so it can dry out in the sunshine. The Case IH Early Riser® planter has been performing very well, allowing farmers to run a little faster. With producers trying to plant between rainstorms, they’ve been pushing their ground speeds, trying to cover as much ground as possible as quickly as they can. In wet fields, the Early Riser row unit carries its weight farther away from the seed trench, allowing growers to still achieve uniform seed depth and soil pressure.

I’ve had four customers who have been using the Case IH Precision Disk 500T to drill soybeans. They’ve been very pleased with it so far. They like the in-cab down control pressure and how the row unit more easily floats over rougher terrain. Watch this video to learn more about the new Precision Disk 500T.

The biggest issue farmers are thinking about in our area is the extreme fluctuation in commodity prices. Producers are fearful that corn is going to drop to $4 per bushel, so marketing has been tough recently.

Farmers in northwest Missouri and central Illinois finally got started planting corn last week, but they got rained out last Thursday and haven’t been able to get back in the fields since. Growers in southwest Missouri usually get started early, but it’s been so wet this year they haven’t even started yet. Other than the northwest corner, there hasn’t been much activity in the rest of Missouri.  This week north east Illinois has got a running start on corn planting, from Champaign to Chicago they are running hard.

Because of the delays, no one has even thought about starting to plant beans. That delay could get even worse, because there’s more rain in the forecast for today and tomorrow. In the pockets where planting is running, producers are pushing hard to try to beat those storms.

Although it’s been wet, the weather’s been warm enough that weeds have been getting established in many fields. Many farmers have been using the Case IH True-Tandem™ 330 Turbo to till out the weeds, even in wet soils. They’ve also been using the 330 Turbo to open up the ground so it can air out, allowing it to dry faster. Case IH Patriot® sprayers also have been in the fields, trying to tackle the weeds.

The Case IH Early Riser® planter also has been performing really well in the soft, wet soils with its pulled-gauge wheels. The Early Riser’s row unit also is placing seed in a more ideal seed environment to boost emergence, even in these less-than-ideal conditions.

For many growers, the fact that it’s nearly mid-May and they’re not in the field yet has them worried. There’s an urgency in the air. Some growers with crop insurance are even more concerned, because in some areas, there’s a certain date by which you have to have crops planted in order to receive full coverage, and that date is fast approaching. For example, for a couple farmers in Sedalia, Mo., their crop insurance deadline is May 15, and that’s only a week away. Producers are saying they need to get in the fields, and soon.

We’re in the thick of planting up and down my territory. In the Carolinas, producers are 95 percent done planting corn and 90 percent done planting tobacco. Cold weather has delayed cotton planting by a week or so, but they’re getting started, all the way up into Virginia, too.

In Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, growers are about 50 percent done planting corn, but it’s been a little cool and damp. Guys have been able to plant between rain showers. Soybean planting has just started.

They’ve started planting in Pennsylvania and New York. Planting specialty crops (produce, sweet corn, food-grade peas, potatoes, etc.) is well underway all the way down the coast.

Some growers have started planting full-season soybeans, with planting increasing over the next couple of weeks. The Case IH True-Tandem™ 330 Turbo is a popular choice among farmers to cut up residue and prepare seedbeds.

For many farmers in my area, the Case IH Early Riser® planter creates an ideal seed environment. Growers like that it minimizes compaction and has such an accurate depth setting for increased germination while also allowing them to adjust the row unit to plant at different depths depending on soil moisture. It provides a lot of flexibility.

One farmer in western New York has been planting food-grade peas with the new Case IH Precision Disk 500T air disk drill. The crop hasn’t germinated yet, but the producer likes the good contact it achieves by keeping the row unit engaged with the ground.

The Magnum tractor introduction was a major milestone for Case IH. It was the first tractor designed and produced after the birth of Case IH through the joining of J.I. Case and International Harvester.

The Magnum’s official launch was held in Ames, Iowa, at the 1987 Farm Progress Show. Cary Cavanaugh, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was there and sent us this photo. As an International Harvester owner, he was thrilled to see how much IH was in the 7100 Magnum models.

“It was awesome to see these tractors for the first time in person,” Cavanaugh says.

We’d love to hear from you! Upload your photo and write a short caption describing how the Magnum has helped you tackle your farming challenges over the years.

Read his report below and let us know if planting has started in your area. We want to hear from you!

Guys are getting started planting—WHEN conditions will allow. We’ve been getting rain every fourth day and temperatures have been bouncing all over the place, so the soil just won’t dry out. Less than 10 percent of growers have gotten started. Some guys are trying to plant between rains, which is a small window to try to hit. A few guys are jumping right in, even if they shouldn’t be. However, most are still prepping.

The USDA report earlier this week showed only 7 percent of Kansas corn has been planted. That’s up 2 percent from the previous week. Only 1 percent has emerged, and that’s in the I-35 corridor south of Wichita, only 50-60 miles from Oklahoma.

As of right now, corn is the only crop that’s been put in the ground. No beans, milo or cotton yet.

There’s a cold front expected this week. Most farmers in northwest Kansas are waiting to see what it does, because they’re calling for freezing temperatures two nights, and there’s a chance of snow. It’s supposed to be a slow warm up after that weather passes.

Even though everyone’s delayed, nobody’s getting too antsy yet, running 24 hours a day or anything. Some folks say that May 9 or May 15 is the “deadline” for planting corn, so until we get closer to those dates, everyone’s just trying to wait it out.

In Kansas, the biggest reason to plant as early as possible is to beat the late-summer heat in July and August. We want the corn plant to hit pollination before the heat sets in. Corn can handle hot days, but it likes to “sleep” at night when it’s cool. If it stays hot at night, then the plant has to work all the time, and that causes yields to drop.

One thing growers will battle this year, especially if they’re doing no-till, is that some of the wheat straw last year was the thickest that’s been seen in 15 years. No one really knows why, but we saw it even during harvest. If you’re doing tillage, seeding or planting, you’re going to have to deal with that.

For those few guys who have planted, the Case IH Early Riser® planter has made a big difference. The planter’s ability to carve a narrower trench with less chance of sidewall compaction has allowed guys to get into the field a day or two earlier. That’s vital when you’re working with such narrow windows like we are right now. The opening disks and recessed gauge wheels allow us to give the seed a better growing environment. This agronomic design principle is what we hang our hat on.

View this video to meet some of the professionals who assist customers via the Case IH AFS Support Center.

Planting will soon be underway across most of the country, which means producers will be utilizing the AFS Support Center while getting the seed in the ground. When the planting window is open, it’s go time. At Case IH we get that, which is why we offer a 24/7/365 AFS Support Center to help you with any AFS questions that may arise during those critical working windows. Have you used the AFS Support Center?

The professionals at the AFS Support Center grew up on farms and have real-world experience working with Case IH AFS equipment, so they can help you Be Ready. They also have access to Case IH engineers and Case IH AFS specialists at local dealerships to help you get the most out of your precision farming equipment.

Using these updated lubricants will help enhance equipment performance, reliability and the life of the equipment. With the new No. 1 engine oil, farmers can use that oil as the sole diesel engine oil for mixed fleets, regardless of what type of emissions system they use.

Semi-synthetic versions of the No. 1 engine oil and Hy-Tran Ultraction also will be available for producers who operate equipment in extremely cold or hot conditions, or simply prefer to use semi-synthetic oil.

For more information on these fluids, visit the latest issue of Farm Forum, where you can learn more about each fluid via an interactive guide – click the plus sign at the top of each jug.

Like you, Case IH dealers across the United States and Canada have been preparing for this year’s growing season so they can help farmers in their area Be Ready to achieve top performance from Case IH products and technology. Watch this video to learn how Case IH dealers are striving to be there for farmers, when they’re needed, to provide the support and service today’s agriculture demands. Find a Case IH dealer near you by using our dealer locator. How is your local Case IH dealer investing in agriculture’s future?

How does the Case IH dealer in your area help others? Share your stories with us.

Joseph Moncheski has been a Binkley & Hurst customer for more than 20 years, buying parts through them for his Farmall tractors. The Moncheski family’s roadside stand sells sweet corn, beans, peas, pumpkins, peppers and other vegetables in addition to potted plants, such as geraniums and impatiens. They also sell their product to some local grocery stores. Grassy Hill Farm celebrated their 100^th anniversary in 2010.

After the blizzard, Moncheski called Chuck Sauder, Binkley & Hurst Parts Manager, and said that the storm had destroyed all of his greenhouses, which are essential for starting seeds in the spring. A few of the greenhouses were somewhat useable but still would need work. The family had had to crawl on their stomachs to reach hay for their livestock. Moncheski was discouraged—he was going to need to start growing plants for this year’s crop, and without a greenhouse, his livelihood was at stake.

“I could hear in his voice that things weren’t good,” Sauder says.

The folks at Binkley & Hurst decided that they were going to give back by helping Joe. The employees pitched in funds toward a new greenhouse for Moncheski, raising nearly half the amount needed. On a Saturday, a group of seven Binkley & Hurst employees, some of whom had never even met Joe before, picked up the greenhouse at a local supplier. Using the dealership’s semitrailer, they took the greenhouse on the four-hour drive to Joe’s operation and assembled the structure on site.

Moncheski was very grateful for everything, and overcome with emotion. “I can’t thank Binkley & Hurst enough,” says Moncheski.

“We’re very humble about helping Joe out,” says Sauder. “We didn’t do this for the publicity. It doesn’t matter how much equipment Binkley & Hurst sells—how we treat people and help others is far more important.”

Today, Joe’s early parsley and pepper seedlings are going strong. He expects they will be on schedule with maybe a week’s lag time.

Case IH’s Colin Rush, Senior Director of Regional Sales, was recently interviewed by FCC, which is Canada’s leading agriculture lender. In part one, he shares his big-picture view of the ag equipment industry, including technology’s important role in making equipment more efficient and more automated. In part two, he discusses ag equipment trends, the balance of innovation and affordability, as well as how Case IH uses its Customer-Driven Product Design Process to develop and improve its red equipment. What do you think will be the next big thing in ag equipment?