Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS – For the week ending July 12, 2015, the warmest temperatures of the season were recorded late in the week, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The high heat and humidity pushed heat index values near 100 degrees in some locations. There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 16 short, 73 adequate, and 6 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 19 short, 71 adequate, and 4 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 18 fair, 63 good, and 14 excellent. Corn silking was at 4 percent, near 8 last year but behind the five-year average of 10.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 21 fair, 61 good, and 15 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 36 percent, behind 54 last year and 41 average. Setting pods was at 1 percent, behind 7 last year, but near 3 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 30 fair, 53 good, and 9 excellent. Spring wheat headed was 93 percent, ahead of 87 last year, and near 91 average. Coloring was at 51 percent, well ahead of 17 last year, and ahead of 37 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 7 percent very poor, 22 poor, 38 fair, 31 good, and 2 excellent. Winter wheat coloring rated 85 percent, near 83 last year and average. Mature rated 37 percent, well ahead of 9 last year, and ahead of 31 average. Harvested was at 10 percent, ahead of 0 last year, but behind 15 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 23 fair, 62 good, and 10 excellent. Oats coloring was at 60 percent, ahead of 43 last year and 48 average. Harvested was at 2 percent, near 1 last year, but behind 7 average.

Barley condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 16 fair, 64 good, and 14 excellent. Barley headed rated 83 percent, ahead of 70 last year, but near 80 average. Coloring was 23 percent, ahead of 4 last year, but behind 30 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 25 fair, 69 good, and 5 excellent. Sorghum planted rated 95 percent, behind 100 last year and average. Emerged was 89 percent, near 92 last year, and behind 98 average. Headed was 20 percent, behind 25 last year, but ahead of 8 average.

Sunflower condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 23 fair, 73 good, and 3 excellent. Sunflowers emerged was 89 percent, ahead of 83 last year.

Alfalfa conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 31 fair, 54 good, and 8 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting rated 83 percent complete, near 84 last year, and behind 90 average. Second cutting rated 18 percent complete, behind 26 last year and 33 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions were rated 2 percent very poor, 7 poor, 27 fair, 51 good, and 13 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 5 percent very short, 14 short, 75 adequate, and 6 surplus.

North Dakota

FARGO, N.D. – For the week ending July 12, 2015, significant rainfall with isolated hail was received over the weekend in the northeast part of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. These storms caused lodging to small grains, but it was too early to determine the extent of damage. In the same areas, some producers were burning hay because of rot caused by the persistent wet conditions. Elsewhere, warm, dry conditions benefitted the development of row crops and allowed producers to put up good quality hay. There were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 5 short, 80 adequate, and 15 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 6 short, 80 adequate, and 14 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 8 poor, 27 fair, 53 good, and 11 excellent. Winter wheat coloring was 53 percent, well ahead of 18 last year.

Durum wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 17 fair, 67 good, and 15 excellent. Durum wheat jointed was 97 percent, well ahead of 69 last year, and ahead of the five-average of 78. Headed was 59 percent, well ahead of 22 last year, and ahead of 41 average. Coloring was 1 percent, near 0 last year and 3 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 15 fair, 64 good, and 18 excellent. Spring wheat headed was 87 percent, well ahead of 57 last year and 59 average. Coloring was 20 percent, ahead of 2 last year and 11 average.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 11 fair, 71 good, and 16 excellent. Barley headed was 92 percent, well ahead of 61 both last year and the average. Coloring was 12 percent, ahead of 5 last year, and near 13 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 14 fair, 70 good, and 11 excellent. Oats headed was 90 percent, well ahead of 55 last year and 61 average. Coloring was 17 percent, ahead of 3 last year and 10 average.

Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 19 fair, 67 good, and 10 excellent. Corn silking was 6 percent, near 5 last year, but behind 11 average.

Soybean condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 17 fair, 69 good, and 11 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 49 percent, well ahead of 23 last year, and ahead of 33 average. Setting pods was 1 percent, near 0 last year and 3 average.

Canola condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 20 fair, 59 good, and 18 excellent. Canola blooming was 93 percent, ahead of 83 last year, and well ahead of 71 average. Coloring was 8 percent, near 4 last year and 6 average.

Sunflower condition rated 0 percent very poor, 6 poor, 17 fair, 72 good, and 5 excellent. Sunflowers blooming was 2 percent.

Flaxseed condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 15 fair, 76 good, and 8 excellent. Flaxseed blooming was 73 percent, well ahead of 37 last year and 43 average. Coloring was 1 percent.

Dry edible peas condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 19 fair, 66 good, and 14 excellent. Dry edible peas blooming was 87 percent, well ahead of 58 last year, and ahead of 73 average. Dropping leaves was 2 percent.

Dry edible beans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 22 fair, 61 good, and 10 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 25 percent, near 21 last year and 27 average.

Potatoes condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 29 fair, 55 good, and 9 excellent. Potatoes blooming was 71 percent, well ahead of 45 last year and 46 average. Rows filled was 12 percent.

Alfalfa condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 27 fair, 55 good, and 8 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting was 79 percent, well ahead of 52 last year, and ahead of 73 average. Second cutting was 4 percent.

Sugarbeet condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 64 good, and 14 excellent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 16 fair, 60 good, and 20 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 3 short, 84 adequate, and 13 surplus.

Minnesota

Crop development remained well ahead of last year for soybeans and small grains for the week ending July 12, 2015, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. High winds accompanying recent rains across parts of central Minnesota caused concerns about lodging of small grains. Field activities for the week included spraying and harvesting hay and processing vegetables during the 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 5 percent short, 84 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 88 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus.

Seven percent of Minnesota’s corn acreage has begun to silk, 2 days ahead of last year but 6 days behind the five-year average. Corn condition rated 85 percent good to excellent. Sixty-three percent of the soybean crop was blooming or beyond, almost 2 weeks ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of average. With six percent of soybeans setting pods, condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. Thirty-eight percent of the barley crop was turning color or beyond, with condition rated at 65 percent good to excellent. Forty-seven percent of the oat acreage was turning color, almost a week ahead of normal. Oat condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Thirty-seven percent of the spring wheat acreage was turning color, over 2 weeks ahead of the previous year. Spring wheat condition rated 84 percent good to excellent, up slightly from last week. Fifty-eight percent of the dry edible bean crop was blooming, with condition rated at 73 percent good to excellent. Potato condition rated 90 percent good to excellent. Sunflower condition rated 61 percent good to excellent, up slightly from last week. Sugarbeet condition rated 79 percent good to excellent.

With the first cutting of alfalfa hay nearing completion, the second cutting of alfalfa hay was 47 percent complete, one week ahead of last year. All hay condition rated 79 percent good to excellent, up 3 percentage points from the previous week. Pasture condition rated 77 percent good to excellent, down 3 percentage points from the previous week.

Iowa

Reports of corn silking, soybeans setting pods, and oats being harvested for grain were received for the week ending July 12, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included cutting hay, cultivating and applying herbicides.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 20 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 19 percent surplus. Reporters in north central and northwest Iowa expressed a need for additional precipitation.

Seventeen percent of the corn crop reached the silking stage, 2 days behind last year and 3 days behind the 5-year average. Eighty-two percent of the corn crop was rated good to excellent. Soybeans blooming or beyond reached 40 percent, with some reports of soybeans setting pods. Soybean condition rated 78 percent good to excellent this week. Nearly all of the State’s oats were headed or beyond. Oat acreage turning color reached 69 percent, with 13 percent of the oat crop harvested, 4 days ahead of last year, but 2 days behind normal. Eighty-two percent of the oat crop rated good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 40 percent, 5 days ahead of last year, but 4 days behind average. Hay condition was rated at 71 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition rated 79 percent good to excellent. Livestock stress levels increased as temperatures and humidity climbed late in the week.

Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – For the week ending July 12, 2015, temperatures were cool during much of the week before turning hot over the weekend, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Significant rainfall was limited to southern border counties, as well as parts of north central Nebraska and portions of the lower Panhandle. The seasonably hot conditions boosted crop development. The heat and high humidity stressed livestock. Wheat harvest progressed in southern counties. There were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 19 short, 71 adequate, and 6 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 18 short, 73 adequate, and 5 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 21 fair, 58 good, and 15 excellent. Corn silking was at 22 percent, behind 29 last year and the five-year average of 30.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 30 fair, 63 good, and 6 excellent. Sorghum headed was at 2 percent, behind 9 last year, but near 3 average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 22 fair, 58 good, and 13 excellent. Soybeans blooming was at 42 percent, behind 53 last year, but near 41 average. Setting pods was at 3 percent, behind 15 last year, but near 6 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 15 percent very poor, 19 poor, 30 fair, 35 good, and 1 excellent. Winter wheat coloring was at 96 percent, near 95 last year and 98 average. Mature was at 86 percent, well ahead of 61 last year and 60 average. Harvested was at 27 percent, near 28 last year, but behind 38 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 25 fair, 61 good, and 6 excellent. Oats coloring was at 81 percent, ahead of 66 last year. Mature was at 10 percent, well behind 34 average. Harvested was at 6 percent, behind 11 last year, and well behind 28 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 24 fair, 58 good, and 13 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting was at 98 percent, near 100 for both last year and the average. Second cutting was at 45 percent, behind 51 last year and 58 average.

Proso millet planted was at 99 percent, well ahead of 79 last year, but near 95 average.

Dry edible beans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 20 fair, 69 good, and 7 excellent. Dry edible beans emerged was at 98 percent, equal to last year. Blooming was at 3 percent, near 5 last year and 6 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 19 fair, 62 good, and 13 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 5 short, 91 adequate, and 2 surplus.