Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS – For the week ending July 19, 2015, above average temperatures continued to advance crop development, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Winter wheat and oat harvests were ongoing. Severe thunderstorms moved across the State on Friday, with wind and hail damage reported in portions of the northeast. There were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 23 short, 68 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 22 short, 70 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 19 fair, 62 good, and 14 excellent. Corn silking was at 43 percent, ahead of 27 for both last year and the five-year average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 61 good, and 16 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 51 percent, behind 68 last year and 59 average. Setting pods was at 7 percent, behind 14 last year and 11 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 8 poor, 29 fair, 53 good, and 9 excellent. Spring wheat headed was 97 percent, near 94 last year, but equal to the average. Coloring was at 73 percent, well ahead of 38 last year, and ahead of 60 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 7 percent very poor, 22 poor, 37 fair, 32 good, and 2 excellent. Winter wheat coloring rated 94 percent, near 95 last year and 96 average. Mature rated 52 percent, near 49 last year, but behind 58 average. Harvested was at 20 percent, ahead of 3 last year, but behind 29 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 23 fair, 62 good, and 10 excellent. Oats coloring was at 75 percent, ahead of 58 last year and 66 average. Harvested was at 17 percent, ahead of 4 last year, but near 15 average.

Barley condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 15 fair, 65 good, and 14 excellent. Barley headed rated 84 percent, equal to last year, but behind 92 average. Coloring was 39 percent, well ahead of 8 last year, but behind 47 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 25 fair, 69 good, and 5 excellent. Sorghum emerged was 98 percent, near 96 last year and 99 average. Headed was 30 percent, behind 37 last year, but ahead of 15 average.

Sunflower condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 28 fair, 68 good, and 3 excellent. Sunflowers emerged was 95 percent, ahead of 88 last year.

Alfalfa conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 26 fair, 58 good, and 9 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting rated 91 percent complete, near 90 last year and 95 average. Second cutting rated 37 percent complete, equal to last year, but behind 48 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions were rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 25 fair, 53 good, and 12 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 5 percent very short, 15 short, 75 adequate, and 5 surplus.

North Dakota

FARGO, N.D. – For the week ending July 19, 2015, storms with strong winds, heavy rain, and isolated hail caused some lodging and low-are flooding in central and eastern parts of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The persistent, wet conditions were causing disease concerns in some crops. Dry weather is needed in these areas. There were 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 5 short, 79 adequate, and 16 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 5 short, 80 adequate, and 15 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 75 percent, well ahead of 48 last year. Mature was 4 percent.

Durum wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 13 fair, 67 good, and 19 excellent. Durum wheat headed was 78 percent, well ahead of 33 last year, and ahead of the five-year average of 60. Coloring was 11 percent, ahead of 4 last year, but near 9 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 15 fair, 62 good, and 20 excellent. Spring wheat headed was 94 percent, ahead of 76 last year and 80 average. Coloring was 40 percent, well ahead of 8 last year, and ahead of 22 average.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 10 fair, 72 good, and 16 excellent. Barley headed was 96 percent, ahead of 79 last year and 81 average. Coloring was 44 percent, well ahead of 15 last year, and ahead of 26 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 13 fair, 67 good, and 15 excellent. Oats headed was 96 percent, well ahead of 74 last year, and ahead of 79 average. Coloring was 45 percent, well ahead of 11 last year and 22 average.

Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 16 fair, 68 good, and 12 excellent. Corn silking was 17 percent, ahead of 9 last year, but behind 26 average.

Soybean condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 15 fair, 69 good, and 13 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 71 percent, well ahead of 51 last year, and ahead of 57 average. Setting pods was 23 percent, ahead of 6 last year and 15 average.

Canola condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 17 fair, 63 good, and 18 excellent. Canola blooming was 96 percent, near 95 last year, and ahead of 91 average. Coloring was 16 percent, ahead of 9 last year, but near 14 average.

Sunflower condition rated 0 percent very poor, 6 poor, 15 fair, 72 good, and 7 excellent. Sunflowers blooming was 8 percent, ahead of 1 last year, but near 4 average.

Flaxseed condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 13 fair, 78 good, and 8 excellent. Flaxseed blooming was 90 percent, well ahead of 69 last year and 67 average. Coloring was 14 percent.

Dry edible peas condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 18 fair, 65 good, and 16 excellent. Dry edible peas blooming was 95 percent, ahead of 82 last year and 90 average. Dropping leaves was 15 percent.

Dry edible beans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 22 fair, 59 good, and 12 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 45 percent, near 44 last year, but behind 51 average. Setting pods was 2 percent, behind 10 last year and 14 average.

Potatoes condition rated 3 percent very poor, 5 poor, 28 fair, 53 good, and 11 excellent. Potatoes blooming was 87 percent, ahead of 78 last year and 73 average. Rows filled was 41 percent, well ahead of 16 last year, and ahead of 31 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 2 percent very poor, 8 poor, 27 fair, 53 good, and 10 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting was 90 percent, ahead of 77 last year, but near 89 average. Second cutting was 15 percent.

Sugarbeet condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 61 good, and 17 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, 4 short, 85 adequate, and 11 surplus.

Minnesota

Crop development remained well ahead of the previous year during the week ending July 19, 2015, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Farmers welcomed the week’s rain in spite of accompanying high winds and hail in some areas. There were a total of 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week. Fieldwork included spraying, scouting for aphids and cutting hay.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 87 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 5 percent short, 89 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus.

Minnesota’s corn acreage advanced to 47 percent silked, nearly a week ahead of last year and slightly ahead of the five-year average. Corn condition improved slightly to 86 percent good to excellent. Seventy-five percent of the soybean crop was blooming or beyond, 8 days ahead of average. With 21 percent of soybeans setting pods, condition rated 79 percent good to excellent. Seventy-four percent of the barley crop was turning color or beyond, with condition rated at 63 percent good to excellent. Seventy-one percent of the oat acreage was turning color, almost a week ahead of normal. There were a few scattered reports of oats harvested for grain. Oat condition rated 77 percent good to excellent. Sixty-two percent of the spring wheat acreage was turning color, over a week ahead of normal. Spring wheat condition rated 83 percent good to excellent. Twelve percent of the dry edible bean crop had begun setting pods, with condition rated at 72 percent good to excellent. Potato condition rated 91 percent good to excellent. Sunflower condition rated 62 percent good to excellent. Sugarbeets rated 81 percent good to excellent, up slightly from last week.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay was 62 percent complete, 8 days ahead of last year. All hay condition rated 81 percent good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from the previous week. Pasture condition rated 78 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week.

Iowa

Hot and humid weather throughout Iowa aided crop development for the week ending July 19, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included cutting hay and fungicide application to corn. Tasseling corn was reported throughout the State.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 79 percent adequate and 17 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 18 percent surplus.

Over half the corn crop reached the silking stage, with 83 percent rated good to excellent. Soybeans blooming or beyond reached 62 percent, slightly behind 2014, but equal to normal. Fifteen percent of soybeans were setting pods. Soybean condition rated 77 percent good to excellent this week. Oat acreage turning color or beyond reached 87 percent, with 28 percent of the oat crop harvested for grain or seed, 3 days ahead of last year, but 4 days behind the average. Oat crop condition rating declined to 79 percent good to excellent.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay made little progress, advancing just 1 percentage point to 95 percent complete. The second cutting reached 53 percent, slightly ahead of last year, but 5 days behind normal. Hay condition was rated at 69 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. Livestock stress levels increased as temperatures and humidity remained high throughout the week.

Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – For the week ending July 19, 2015, temperatures averaged two to three degrees above normal across much of the State, with widespread precipitation reported, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rainfall totals of two inches or more were recorded in portions of central and northeast Nebraska, with lesser amounts elsewhere. The hot, humid conditions continued to boost crop development, but stressed livestock. Wheat harvest was near completion in southern counties, and was active in the Panhandle. There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 23 short, 66 adequate, and 6 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 19 short, 72 adequate, and 4 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 21 fair, 57 good, and 16 excellent. Corn silking was at 63 percent, ahead of 58 last year and the five-year average of 57.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 29 fair, 62 good, and 8 excellent. Sorghum headed was at 20 percent, near 21 last year, but ahead of 9 average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 22 fair, 57 good, and 15 excellent. Soybeans blooming was at 61 percent, behind 70 last year, but equal to the average. Setting pods was at 17 percent, behind 30 last year, but near 16 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 15 percent very poor, 20 poor, 32 fair, 31 good, and 2 excellent. Mature was at 96 percent, ahead of 81 last year and 83 average. Harvested was at 62 percent, ahead of 51 last year and 56 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 25 fair, 61 good, and 6 excellent. Oats coloring was at 95 percent, ahead of 88 last year. Mature was at 72 percent, ahead of 65 last year. Harvested was at 28 percent, equal to last year, but well behind 52 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 25 fair, 58 good, and 12 excellent. Alfalfa hay second cutting was at 67 percent, near 68 last year, but behind 72 average.

Dry edible beans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 20 fair, 70 good, and 6 excellent. Blooming was at 40 percent, well ahead of 20 for both last year and the average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 21 fair, 60 good, and 12 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 8 short, 88 adequate, and 2 surplus.