Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

Sioux Falls – For the week ending July 17, 2016, oat and winter wheat harvests remained ahead of last year and the five-year average, although lodging slowed the pace in some locations, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Late-week thunderstorms brought rain, strong winds and hail to portions of the State. Soil moisture ratings remained short to very short in many areas as precipitation totals for the week varied considerably. There were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 11 percent very short, 32 short, 56 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 10 percent very short, 32 short, 57 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 30 fair, 54 good, and 8 excellent. Winter wheat harvested was 53 percent, well ahead of 17 last year and 22 for the five-year average.

Corn condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 26 fair, 54 good, and 9 excellent. Corn silking was 37 percent, ahead of 32 last year and 23 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 3 percent very poor, 11 poor, 42 fair, 41 good, and 3 excellent. Spring wheat coloring was 86 percent, ahead of 67 last year, and well ahead of 52 average.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 27 fair, 59 good, and 7 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 65 percent, ahead of 47 last year and 53 average. Setting pods was 17 percent, ahead of 5 last year and 7 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 29 fair, 61 good, and 3 excellent. Oats coloring was 81 percent, ahead of 71 last year, and well ahead of 61 average. Harvested was 38 percent, well ahead of 13 last year and 15 average.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 10 poor, 44 fair, 38 good, and 8 excellent. Barley headed was 94 percent, ahead of 84 last year and 87 average. Coloring was 65 percent, well ahead of 34 last year and 39 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 35 fair, 63 good, and 0 excellent. Sorghum headed was 23 percent, near 27 last year, but ahead of 18 average. Coloring was at 1 percent, ahead of 0 both last year and average.

Sunflowers condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 49 fair, 47 good, and 0 excellent. Sunflowers emerged was 98 percent, ahead of 93 last year. Blooming was 11 percent, ahead of 0 last year and 4 average.

Alfalfa hay condition rated 9 percent very poor, 20 poor, 49 fair, 22 good, and 0 excellent. Alfalfa hay second cutting was 46 percent, ahead of 32 last year and 41 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 14 poor, 34 fair, 45 good, and 2 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 5 percent very short, 21 short, 73 adequate, and 1 surplus.

North Dakota

Fargo, N.D. – For the week ending July 17, 2016, average temperatures were two to six degrees below normal, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture fell across much of the State as amounts ranged from half an inch to two inches. Isolated hail was received with these storms and caused varying amounts of crop damage. Producers were busy preparing equipment for harvest of small grains. The recent rain was beneficial to pastures and replenished water supplies in dams and ponds. However, there were some reports in the western part of the State of poor water quality for livestock. There were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 11 short, 71 adequate, and 16 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 15 short, 70 adequate, and 12 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 20 fair, 64 good, and 8 excellent. Winter wheat coloring was 86 percent, ahead of 69 last year. Harvested was 5 percent, ahead of 0 last year.

Durum wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 11 fair, 71 good, and 16 excellent. Durum wheat headed was 92 percent, ahead of 73 last year, and well ahead of 56 for the five-year average. Coloring was 29 percent, well ahead of 8 both last year and average.

Spring wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 20 fair, 64 good, and 9 excellent. Spring wheat coloring was 51 percent, ahead of 34 last year, and well ahead of 21 average.

Barley condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 16 fair, 69 good, and 11 excellent. Barley coloring was 64 percent, well ahead of 35 last year and 24 average.

Oats condition rated 3 percent very poor, 9 poor, 20 fair, 63 good, and 5 excellent. Oats headed was 97 percent, near 94 last year, and well ahead of 77 average. Coloring was 57 percent, well ahead of 37 last year and 23 average.

Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 17 fair, 63 good, and 15 excellent. Corn silking was 25 percent, ahead of 14 last year and 18 average.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 22 fair, 61 good, and 11 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 67 percent, near 65 last year, and ahead of 49 average. Setting pods were 19 percent, near 17 last year, and ahead of 11 average.

Canola condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 18 fair, 69 good, and 10 excellent. Canola coloring was 41 percent, well ahead of 14 last year and 12 average.

Sunflowers condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 24 fair, 65 good, and 5 excellent. Sunflowers blooming was 13 percent, ahead of 6 last year and 4 average.

Flaxseed condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 14 fair, 77 good, and 5 excellent. Flaxseed blooming was 91 percent, ahead of 85 last year, and well ahead of 64 average. Coloring was 6 percent, near 10 last year.

Dry peas condition rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 13 fair, 70 good, and 11 excellent. Dry peas dropping leaves was 20 percent, ahead of 11 last year. Harvested was 5 percent.

Dry edible beans condition rated 6 percent very poor, 7 poor, 25 fair, 51 good, and 11 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 50 percent, ahead of 39 both last year and average. Setting pods was 10 percent, ahead of 1 last year, but near 9 average.

Potatoes condition rated 8 percent very poor, 10 poor, 35 fair, 36 good, and 11 excellent. Potatoes blooming was 90 percent, ahead of 82 last year, and well ahead of 64 average. Rows filled was 30 percent, near 33 last year, and ahead of 21 average.

Alfalfa hay condition rated 7 percent very poor, 15 poor, 32 fair, 42 good, and 4 excellent. Alfalfa hay first cutting was 96 percent complete, ahead of 87 last year and 85 average. Second cutting was 24 percent, ahead of 12 last year.

Sugarbeets condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 29 fair, 53 good, and 12 excellent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 10 poor, 26 fair, 54 good, and 6 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 6 percent very short, 17 short, 73 adequate, and 4 surplus.

Minnesota

Strong thunderstorms moved across the northern and central parts of Minnesota during the week ending July 17, 2016, limiting producers’ opportunities for fieldwork according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork. There were reports of damaging wind, hail, and excessive rainfall leading to flooding in some areas, with producers still assessing damage to crops.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 73 percent adequate, and 26 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus.

Minnesota’s corn acreage advanced to 51 percent silked, 5 days ahead of the five-year average and 3 days ahead of last year. Corn condition rated 82 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week. Seventy-two percent of the soybean crop was blooming or beyond, 8 days ahead of average but equal to last year. Twelve percent of the soybean crop were setting pods. Soybean condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. Sixty-one percent of the spring wheat acreage was turning color, 10 days ahead of average and 2 days ahead of last year. Spring wheat condition rated 70 percent good to excellent. Seventy-eight percent of the oat crop was turning color, 12 days ahead of average and 5 days ahead of the previous year. Oat condition rated 81 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from the previous week. Seventy-one percent of the barley crop was turning color, 12 days ahead of average. Barley condition rated 64 percent good to excellent, down 4 percentage points from the previous week. There were scattered reports of producers harvesting small grains. Seventy-two percent of the dry edible bean crop was blooming, with 5 percent setting pods. Dry edible bean condition rated 68 percent good to excellent. Sunflower condition rated 51 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from last week. Potato condition rated 89 percent good to excellent. Sugarbeet condition rated 86 percent good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay was 72 percent complete, 6 days ahead of last year. The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 13 percent complete. All hay condition rated 80 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 79 percent good to excellent, up 3 percentage points from the previous week.

Iowa

Timely rains this week were beneficial to crops. Statewide there were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 17, 2016, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. However, there were isolated reports of damage to crops and buildings caused by high winds and hail. Activities for the week included cutting hay and applying fungicide to corn.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 7 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus.

Sixty-seven percent of the corn crop had reached the silking stage, five days ahead of last year and a week ahead of average. Across the State there were scattered reports of corn reaching the dough stage. Corn condition improved slightly to 81 percent good to excellent. Soybeans blooming reached 66 percent and soybean setting pods reached 20 percent. Both of these soybean stages were 4 days ahead of 2015 and 5 days ahead of normal. Soybean condition rated 80 percent good to excellent this week. Oat acreage turning color or beyond reached 91 percent, with 35 percent of the oat crop harvested for grain or seed, 4 days ahead of last year. Oat crop condition rated 79 percent good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 79 percent, 10 days ahead of normal. The third cutting of alfalfa hay became more widespread this week. Hay condition was rated at 74 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition rated 61 percent good to excellent. Livestock saw some stress due to heat and humidity as well as overgrazed pastures in some parts of the state.

Nebraska

Lincoln, Neb. – For the week ending July 17, 2016, temperatures averaged one to three degrees below normal, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Precipitation was minimal across the Panhandle and southwest. Parts of central and eastern Nebraska received an inch or more of rain. Winter wheat harvested was near completion in the southwest with most of the remaining unharvested acres in the Panhandle. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 22 short, 70 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 19 short, 75 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 16 fair, 62 good, and 18 excellent. Corn silking was 55 percent, near 51 last year, and ahead of the five-year average of 48.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 18 fair, 68 good, and 14 excellent. Sorghum headed was 7 percent, behind 15 last year, and near 8 average.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 62 good, and 15 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 54 percent, near 56 both last year and average. Setting pods were 1 percent, behind 13 of both last year and average.

Winter wheat condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 24 fair, 51 good, and 14 excellent. Winter wheat harvested was 75 percent, well ahead of 52 both last year and average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 1 poor, 26 fair, 64 good, and 8 excellent. Oats coloring was 93 percent, near 91 last year. Harvested was 49 percent, well ahead of 25 last year, and ahead of 43 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 13 fair, 65 good, and 16 excellent. Alfalfa second cutting was 80 percent, ahead of 61 last year and 67 average. Third cutting was 7 percent.

Dry edible beans condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 27 fair, 57 good, and 15 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 30 percent, near 29 last year, and ahead of 18 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 2 poor, 19 fair, 64 good, and 13 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 6 short, 91 adequate, and 3 surplus.