According to the USDA, corn planting progress finished slightly below five year average levels during the week ending Apr 19^th. Corn: Corn plantings as of the week ending Apr 19^th were seven percent complete, finishing slightly above last year’s pace of five percent but slightly below the five year average pace of nine percent. The majority of corn plantings have been completed throughout the states of Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas and Alabama as of the week ending Apr 19^th. An additional four percent of the total U.S. corn crop was planted during the week ending Apr 19^th. Weekly increases in corn plantings on a percentage basis were led by South Carolina, followed by Oregon and Arkansas.