Missouri farmers are lagging far behind average in planting this year's corn crop, especially in the southeast region.

Missouri Extension crop specialist Bill Wiebold only 20 percent of the corn is planted, compared with 44 percent at this time a year ago.

The state's average is brought down by the Bootheel region, where only 16 percent of planting has been complete. Wiebold says delays turn into slight yield losses as May begins and could drop by as much as 20 percent when corn is not planted by the end of that month.

But he says those numbers can change quickly if the weather is favorable.

The USDA says Missouri farmers expect to plant 3.3 million acres of corn this year, the lowest amount since 2010.

Corn
Sean Gallup, Getty Images
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