Aug. 30: Crop progress and pasture conditions

South Dakota

For the week ending Aug. 29, there were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 36% very short, 38% short, 25% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 44% very short, 34% short, 21% adequate and 1% surplus.

Field crops report: Corn condition rated 16% very poor, 29% poor, 32% fair, 22% good and 1% excellent. Corn dough was 89%, behind 94% last year but near 86% for the five-year average. Dented was 42%, behind 47% last year but near 40% average. Mature was 8%, near 7% last year and 4% average.

Soybean condition rated 12% very poor, 30% poor, 36% fair, 21% good and 1% excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 97%, near 96% last year and 93% average. Dropping leaves was 23%, near 19% last year and ahead of 13% average.

Sorghum condition rated 12% very poor, 26% poor, 44% fair, 18% good and 0% excellent. Sorghum headed was 95%, near 96% last year and equal to average. Coloring was 51%, near 48% last year and ahead of 43% average. Mature was 1%, near 4% both last year and average.

Pasture and range report: Pasture and range conditions rated 48% very poor, 36% poor, 11% fair, 5% good and 0% excellent.

North Dakota

For the week ending Aug. 29, there were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 27% very short, 36% short, 36% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 45% very short, 34% short, 20% adequate and 1% surplus.

Field crops report: Soybean condition rated 15% very poor, 30% poor, 40% fair, 15% good and 0% excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 95%, near 96% for both last year and the five-year average. Dropping leaves was 24%, ahead of 15% last year and 16% average.

Spring wheat harvested was 84%, well ahead of 56% last year and ahead of 68% average.

Durum wheat harvested was 74%, well ahead of 50% last year and 49% average.

Winter wheat harvested was 97%, ahead of 91% last year and 92% average.

Corn condition rated 15% very poor, 32% poor, 37% fair, 16% good and 0% excellent. Corn dough was 89%, ahead of 77% last year and 79% average. Dented was 45%, well ahead of 23% last year and ahead of 31% average. Mature was 5%, near 2% average.

Canola condition rated 22% very poor, 32% poor, 29% fair, 16% good and 1% excellent. Canola coloring was 97%, ahead of 91% last year and equal to average. Harvested was 37%, ahead of 25% last year but near 40% average.

Sugar beet condition rated 1% very poor, 5% poor, 30% fair, 50% good and 14% excellent. Sugar beets harvested was 2%, near 5% both last year and average.

Oats mature was 96%, equal to last year and near 95% average. Harvested was 78%, ahead of 68% last year and near 76% average.

Barley harvested was 87%, well ahead of 66% last year and ahead of 79% average.

Dry edible peas harvested was 89%, ahead of 79% last year and near 88% average.

Sunflower condition rated 8% very poor, 33% poor, 39% fair, 19% good and 1% excellent. Sunflowers ray flowers dry was 60%, equal to last year and near 56% average. Bracts turned yellow was 24%, near 26% last year and 25% average. Bracts turned brown was 5%, near 3% both last year and average. 

Flaxseed condition rated 16% very poor, 31% poor, 34% fair, 17% good and 2% excellent. Flaxseed harvested was 58%, well ahead of 30% last year and 34% average.

Potato condition rated 8% very poor, 15% poor, 62% fair, 11% good and 4% excellent. Potatoes rows closed was 95%, near 98% both last year and average. Vines dry was 34%, ahead of 28% last year, and near 33% average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 17% very poor, 33% poor, 35% fair, 14% good and 1% excellent. Dry edible beans dropping leaves was 72%, well ahead of 45% last year and ahead of 56% average. Harvested was 6%, near 2% last year and 7% average.

Alfalfa condition rated 53% very poor, 28% poor, 16% fair, 3% good and 0% excellent. Alfalfa second cutting was 85%, behind 94% last year and 90% average.

Lentils harvested was 74%, well ahead of 47% last year and 49% average.

Pasture and range report: Pasture and range conditions rated 61% very poor, 24% poor, 13% fair, 2% good and 0% excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 58% very short, 31% short, 11% adequate and 0% surplus.

Minnesota

Widespread rain events allowed 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Aug. 29, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Some crops sustained wind and hail damage, but the much-needed rainfall increased some crop conditions slightly. Field activities for the week included harvesting small grains and cutting corn for silage.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 20% very short, 28% short, 46% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 30% very short, 39% short, 30% adequate and 1% surplus.

Field crops report: Corn in or beyond the dough stage reached 95%, one day behind last year but six days ahead of the five-year average. Corn dented reached 50%, two days behind last year but two days ahead of average. Corn mature reached 6%, two days ahead of last year and five days ahead of the average. Corn harvested for silage reached 25%, four days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the five-year average. Corn condition rated 36% good to excellent.

Soybeans coloring reached 40%, four days ahead of last year and over a week ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans dropping leaves reached 9%, five days ahead of last year and a week ahead of the average. Soybeans condition rated 31% good to excellent.

Dry beans dropping leaves reached 58%. Dry bean harvest was 3% complete. Dry beans condition rated 19% good to excellent.

Potatoes were 23% harvested. Potato condition rated 70% good to excellent.

Sunflower condition rated 35% good to excellent.

Sugar beet harvest is underway. Sugar beet condition rated 71% good to excellent.

Pasture and range report: Pasture condition was 42% very poor, 34% poor, 18% fair, 3% good and 3% excellent. No livestock losses were reported.

Iowa

Much needed rainfall across most of the state limited Iowa’s farmers to 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Aug. 29,  according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Field activities included harvesting hay, oats and corn silage. Producers were getting ready for row crop harvest with repairs to equipment and bins.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 14% very short, 30% short, 52% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 20% very short, 41% short, 38% adequate and 1% surplus.

Field crops report: Corn in or beyond the dough stage reached 95%, one week ahead of the five-year average. Sixty-six percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage or beyond, four days ahead of normal. Six percent of corn has reached maturity. Iowa’s corn condition rated 58% good to excellent. Wind and heavy rain damaged some corn and soybean fields in north central, northeast and southeast Iowa.

Soybeans coloring or beyond reached 18%, two days ahead of the five-year average. There were scattered reports of soybeans dropping leaves. Soybean condition was rated 60% good to excellent.

Oats for grain harvest is virtually complete at 99%.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 79% complete, two days ahead of the five-year average.

Pasture and range report: Pasture condition was rated 31% good to excellent. The week’s rains helped pastures show improvement as they greened up in some areas.

Nebraska

For the week ending Aug. 29, there were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 11% very short, 36% short, 51% adequate and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 17% very short, 42% short, 41% adequate and 0% surplus.

Field crops report: Corn condition rated 5% very poor, 8% poor, 20% fair, 45% good and 22% excellent. Corn dough was 93%, behind 98% last year and near 94% for the five-year average. Dented was 64%, behind 72% last year but near 60% average. Mature was 8%, near 10% last year and 5% average.

Soybean condition rated 3% very poor, 7% poor, 21% fair, 51% good and 18% excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 97%, near 100% last year and 95% average. Dropping leaves was 12%, near 14% last year and 8% average.

Sorghum condition rated 8% very poor, 16% poor, 28% fair, 37% good and 11% excellent. Sorghum coloring was 61%, near 58% last year and ahead of 54% average. Mature was 2%, equal to both last year and average.

Dry edible bean condition rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 24% fair, 47% good and 21% excellent. Dry edible beans setting pods was 95%, near 93% last year. Dropping leaves was 23%, behind 30% last year.

Pasture and range report: Pasture and range conditions rated 12% very poor, 16% poor, 52% fair, 18% good and 2% excellent.