2025 planting season outlook

Recent rains have brought some relief to drought conditions across the state, but dry weather is expected to persist as local farmers prepare for spring planting.
As of Monday morning, the most recent U.S. Drought Monitor report, released April 8, shows the entire state still experiencing some level of drought, ranging from abnormally dry to severe. Moody County falls under either abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions.
Precipitation over the past few weeks has slightly eased drought severity, but soil moisture remains well below adequate.
This weeks forecast calls for strong winds and scattered rain, with temperatures hovering in the 50s and 60s as farmers begin to head into the fields in earnest.
As the 2025 season kicks off, many growers are also shifting what they plant. South Dakota farmers plan to plant a near-record 6.3 million acres of corn, a 7% increase from last year, according to the USDA and South Dakota Ag Connection. The shift comes as soybean markets remain volatile due to changing trade conditions. Soybean and hay acreage are expected to decline, while sunflower acreage is projected to rise by 36%.