Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

Sioux Falls – For the week ending July 24, 2016, spring wheat harvest began in parts of South Dakota, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Winter wheat and oats harvest progressed ahead of average. Extreme heat and humidity impacted most of the State, stressing crops, rangeland, and livestock. Scattered showers and thunderstorms brought relief to some areas, but rainfall totals varied widely leaving many locations with little or no precipitation. There were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 13 percent very short, 34 short, 52 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 12 percent very short, 34 short, 53 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat harvested was 82 percent, well ahead of 36 last year and the five-year average of 38.

Corn condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 29 fair, 51 good, and 9 excellent. Corn silking was 67 percent, near 63 last year, and ahead of 51 average. Dough was 5 percent, near 1 last year and 3 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 3 percent very poor, 12 poor, 44 fair, 38 good, and 3 excellent. Spring wheat coloring was 95 percent, ahead of 82 last year, and well ahead of 75 average. Harvested was 20 percent, ahead of 1 last year and 14 average.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 32 fair, 54 good, and 7 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 82 percent, ahead of 66 last year and 72 average. Setting pods was 42 percent, ahead of 23 last year, and well ahead of 21 average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 38 fair, 51 good, and 3 excellent. Oats coloring was 87 percent, near 88 last year, but ahead of 78 average. Harvested was 58 percent, well ahead of 33 last year and 29 average.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 10 poor, 44 fair, 38 good, and 8 excellent. Barley headed was 95 percent, ahead of 90 last year, and near 93 average. Coloring was 81 percent, well ahead of 58 last year and 54 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 36 fair, 62 good, and 0 excellent. Sorghum headed was 42 percent, behind 47 last year, but ahead of 32 average. Coloring was at 3 percent, near 0 last year and 1 average.

Sunflowers condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 49 fair, 46 good, and 1 excellent. Sunflowers blooming was 18 percent, ahead of 6 last year and 11 average.

Alfalfa hay condition rated 10 percent very poor, 21 poor, 49 fair, 19 good, and 1 excellent. Alfalfa hay second cutting was 52 percent, ahead of 43 last year, but behind 58 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 16 poor, 35 fair, 42 good, and 2 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 5 percent very short, 26 short, 68 adequate, and 1 surplus.

North Dakota

Fargo, N.D. – For the week ending July 24, 2016, average temperatures were two to six degrees above normal across most of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture fell across much of the State with an inch or more. Hail in the west and south central parts of the State caused some damage to crops. Producers were busy spraying, haying, and getting equipment ready for harvest. There were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 12 short, 71 adequate, and 15 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 14 short, 71 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 93 percent, ahead of 87 last year. Harvested was 13 percent, ahead of 0 last year.

Durum wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 10 fair, 69 good, and 18 excellent. Durum wheat headed was 95 percent, ahead of 88 last year, and well ahead of 71 for the five-year average. Coloring was 52 percent, ahead of 40 last year, and well ahead of 23 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 3 percent very poor, 7 poor, 19 fair, 63 good, and 8 excellent. Spring wheat coloring was 72 percent, ahead of 59 last year, and well ahead of 36 average.

Barley condition rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 17 fair, 67 good, and 10 excellent. Barley coloring was 86 percent, ahead of 70 last year, and well ahead of 42 average.

Oats condition rated 4 percent very poor, 8 poor, 21 fair, 62 good, and 5 excellent. Oats coloring was 78 percent, ahead 69 last year, and well ahead of 40 average. Harvested was 26 percent, well ahead of 0 last year and 5 average.

Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 17 fair, 63 good, and 15 excellent. Corn silking was 45 percent, near 43 last year and 42 average.

Soybeans condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 22 fair, 60 good, and 11 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 81 percent, near 82 last year, and ahead of 72 average. Setting pods were 36 percent, behind 43 last year, but ahead of 31 average.

Canola condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 18 fair, 68 good, and 8 excellent. Canola coloring was 48 percent, well ahead of 28 last year and 25 average.

Sunflowers condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 24 fair, 65 good, and 5 excellent. Sunflowers blooming was 22 percent, near 20 last year and ahead of 12 average.

Flaxseed condition rated 2 percent very poor, 3 poor, 14 fair, 75 good, and 6 excellent. Flaxseed blooming was 97 percent, near 94 last year, and ahead of 80 average. Coloring was 29 percent, ahead of 24 last year, and 14 average.

Dry peas condition rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 13 fair, 69 good, and 12 excellent. Dry peas dropping leaves was 53 percent, ahead of 37 last year. Harvested was 5 percent.

Dry edible beans condition rated 7 percent very poor, 8 poor, 26 fair, 49 good, and 10 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 75 percent, ahead of 66 last year and 65 average. Setting pods was 44 percent, ahead of 20 last year, and ahead of 25 average.

Potatoes condition rated 11 percent very poor, 10 poor, 32 fair, 36 good, and 11 excellent. Potatoes blooming was 97 percent, near 93 last year, and ahead of 85 average. Rows filled was 59 percent, ahead of 57 last year, and near 45 average.

Alfalfa hay condition rated 7 percent very poor, 14 poor, 32 fair, 43 good, and 4 excellent. Alfalfa hay second cutting was 39 percent complete, ahead of 29 last year, and well ahead of 17 average.

Sugarbeets condition rated 3 percent very poor, 3 poor, 32 fair, 51 good, and 11 excellent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 10 poor, 27 fair, 52 good, and 6 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 6 percent very short, 17 short, 74 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Minnesota

Hot and humid weather aided corn development during the week ending July 24, 2016. There were 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork. There were reports of heavy rain and strong winds during the first half of the week across most of the state. Small grains and alfalfa hay were harvested when weather permitted.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 24 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 4 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 18 percent surplus.

Minnesota’s corn acreage jumped 35 percentage points to 86 percent silking, 8 days ahead of the five-year average and 5 days ahead of last year. Across the southern two-thirds of Minnesota some corn acreage was entering the dough stage. Corn condition rated 84 percent good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from the previous week. With 90 percent of the soybean crop blooming or beyond, 39 percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, 5 days ahead of average and 1 day ahead of last year. Soybean condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. Eighty-six percent of the spring wheat acreage was turning color, 15 days ahead of average and 1 day ahead of last year. There were a few reports of spring wheat harvested, and the condition rated 69 percent good to excellent. With ninety-two percent of the oat crop turning color, 10 percent was harvested for grain, 3 days behind average but 1 day ahead of the previous year. Oat condition rated 78 percent good to excellent, down 3 percentage points from the previous week. Ninety percent of the barley crop was turning color and 5 percent was harvested. Barley condition rated 62 percent good to excellent. Ninety-four percent of the dry edible bean crop was blooming, with 34 percent setting pods. Dry edible bean condition rated 66 percent good to excellent. Sunflower condition rated 57 percent good to excellent, up 6 percentage points from last week. Potato condition rated 91 percent good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from the previous week. Sugarbeet condition rated 85 percent good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay was 82 percent complete, 3 days ahead of last year. The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 22 percent complete, 10 days ahead of last year. All hay condition rated 81 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition rated 79 percent good to excellent. Heat and humidity caused stress to livestock during the week.

Iowa

Recent heat and humidity helped speed crop development although frequent rains allowed Iowa farmers only 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 24, 2016, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included aerial fungicide application to corn and cutting hay when fields were dry enough.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 9 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus.

Eighty-seven percent of the corn crop reached the silking stage, 8 days ahead of normal, with 11 percent of the corn crop reaching the dough stage. Corn condition rated 82 percent good to excellent. Soybeans blooming reached 83 percent, 6 days ahead of both last year and the five-year average. Forty-four percent of soybeans were setting pods, 6 days ahead of average. Soybean condition rated 81 percent good to excellent last week. Oats harvested for grain or seed reached 54 percent, 2 days ahead of last year. Oat crop condition rated 79 percent good to excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay reached 87 percent, more than 2 weeks ahead of last year. The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 13 percent. Hay condition was rated 73 percent good to excellent, while pasture condition rated 62 percent good to excellent. Pastures and hay crops were growing. Livestock experienced some stress due to high levels of heat and humidity.

Nebraska

Lincoln, Neb. – For the week ending July 24, 2016, temperatures averaged four degrees above normal, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Precipitation of an inch or more covered much of the southwest and parts of the southern Panhandle. The eastern half of the State remained mostly dry. Drought conditions existed in south central counties. Seed corn detasseling was active and winter wheat harvest was wrapping up. Producers with livestock in confined areas were taking measures to lessen heat stress. There were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 27 short, 64 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 23 short, 71 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 17 fair, 61 good, and 18 excellent. Corn silking was 82 percent, ahead of 77 last year and the five-year average of 76. Corn in dough was 13 percent, near 9 last year, and equal to average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 18 fair, 68 good, and 14 excellent. Sorghum headed was 25 percent, behind 36 last year, and near 23 average.

Soybeans condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 63 good, and 14 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 75 percent, near 72 last year and equal to average. Setting pods was 19 percent, behind 28 both last year and average.

Winter wheat condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 24 fair, 50 good, and 15 excellent. Winter wheat harvested was 92 percent, ahead of 76 last year and 74 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 1 poor, 26 fair, 63 good, and 8 excellent. Oats coloring was 96 percent, near 95 last year. Harvested was 65 percent, ahead of 51 last year, and near 67 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 4 percent very poor, 3 poor, 15 fair, 64 good, and 14 excellent. Alfalfa second cutting was 92 percent, ahead of 76 last year and 81 average. Third cutting was 21 percent, near 16 last year and 20 average.

Dry edible beans condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 26 fair, 58 good, and 15 excellent. Dry edible beans blooming was 81 percent, well ahead of 60 last year and 42 average. Setting pods was 30 percent, ahead of 11 last year.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 3 poor,

21 fair, 63 good, and 11 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 1 percent very short, 7 short, 90 adequate, and 2 surplus.