Planting continues to make progress throughout the region.  In Iowa, as of Monday, May 15th, 86 percent of the state’s corn crop has been planted, with 35 percent of the crop emerged.  Agriculture officials report that is six days ahead of last year.  Soybean planting in the Hawkeye state is now 69 percent completed with 19 percent of the soybean crop emerged, which is a week ahead of last year’s pace.  In Nebraska, farmers have been able to plant 76 percent of the state’s corn crop with 32 percent of the corn crop having emerged.  Soybean planting in the Cornhusker state is now 62 percent complete with 18 percent emerged.  Minnesota farmers were able to catch up this past week with 61 percent of the corn crop now in the ground.  A week ago, just 38 percent had been planted.  15 percent of Minnesota’s corn crop has now emerged.  Minnesota farmers have so far planted 30 percent of the soybean crop with four percent emergence.  In South Dakota, farmers now have nearly half the corn crop planted at 49 percent, but just eight percent of the state’s corn crop has emerged.  As for soybean planting, South Dakota farmers have 29 percent of the crop planted with only one percent of the state’s soybean crop has emerged.