STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — A warm winter and spring have let Mississippi farmers get soybeans into the ground early, and they expect to exceed last year's planting.

About 69 percent of the crop had been planted by the end of April and 74 percent by May 7, compared to an average of 38 percent and 51 percent by those dates over the past five years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

That's phenomenal, said Mississippi State University Extension Service soybean specialist Trent Irby.

"Mid-to-late April is the optimum planting window to maximize yields, and we had the opportunity this...