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USDA: Record soybean crop planted, progress slowed by rain

The Associated Press
A record 85.1 million acres of soybeans are in the ground in the U.S., though a wet few months have kept farmers from planting in some states, the government said Tuesday, June 30, 2015.
A record 85.1 million acres of soybeans are in the ground in the U.S., though a wet few months have kept farmers from planting in some states, the government said Tuesday, June 30, 2015. Austen Leake AP
DES MOINES, Iowa

A record 85.1 million acres of soybeans are in the ground in the U.S., though a wet few months have kept farmers from planting in some states.

The planted soybean acreage is 2 percent more than in 2014, with the largest increases found in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Tennessee.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s report was released Tuesday.

May started with good planting conditions for soybeans, but a rainy pattern in June slowed progress. More than a third of the intended crop remains unplanted in Missouri and 14 percent in neighboring Kansas.

Farmers unable to get fields planted by Wednesday may be forced to use crop insurance. The full extent of crop loss isn’t reflected in the report.

Planted corn acres are the lowest since 2010 at 88.9 million acres.

This story was originally published June 30, 2015 at 4:36 PM with the headline "USDA: Record soybean crop planted, progress slowed by rain."

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