Last spring, Iowa had a warm and early planting season; some growers were done planting corn and had started to plant soybean by early April. This year is different. So far, corn has not been planted. This article focuses on how planting date can affect soybean disease occurrence. A late planting may increase, reduce, or not affect a soybean disease, depending on the nature of the disease. Last years' early planting was associated with outbreaks of bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) in most of Iowa and sudden death syndrome (SDS) in some Iowa regions. A late planting this year may reduce the risk of these two diseases.