Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

For the week ending Sept. 27, there were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork in South Dakota, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 16% very short, 44% short, 39% adequate, and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 14% very short, 38% short, 47% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 4% poor, 22% fair, 63% good, and 9% excellent. Corn mature was 80%, well ahead of 24% last year and 54% for the five-year average. Harvested was 10%, ahead of 5% average.

Soybean condition rated 3% very poor, 6% poor, 24% fair, 60% good, and 7% excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 90%, well ahead of 50% last year, and ahead of 80% average. Harvested was 29%, well ahead of 1% last year, and ahead of 13% average.

Winter wheat planted was 53%, near 49% last year and 57% average. Emerged was 17%, ahead of 12% last year, and near 15% average.

Sorghum condition rated 0% very poor, 4% poor, 33% fair, 57% good, and 6% excellent. Sorghum mature was 77%, well ahead of 25% last year and 41% average. Harvested was 16%, ahead of 3% last year and 6% average.

Sunflowers harvested was 2%, near 1% average.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 9% very poor, 23% poor, 42% fair, 25% good, and 1% excellent.

North Dakota

For the week ending Sept. 27, there were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 21% very short, 34% short, 41% adequate, and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 16% very short, 32% short, 46% adequate, and 6% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Soybean condition rated 8% very poor, 9% poor, 34% fair, 42% good, and 7% excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 88%, ahead of 81% last year, but near 90% for the five-year average. Harvested was 27%, well ahead of 3% last year, and ahead of 19% average.

Durum wheat harvested was 95%, ahead of 77% last year.

Winter wheat planted was 75%, well ahead of 42% last year, and ahead of 60% average. Emerged was 22%, ahead of 11% last year, and near 19% average.

Corn condition rated 4% very poor, 8% poor, 29% fair, 49% good, and 10% excellent. Corn dented was 90%, well ahead of 70% last year, and equal to average. Mature was 58%, well ahead of 12% last year, and ahead of 48% average. Harvested was 4%, near 3% average.

Canola harvested was 92%, well ahead of 65% last year, and near 89% average.

Sugar beet condition rated 1% very poor, 2% poor, 5% fair, 43% good, and 49% excellent. Sugar beets harvested was 16%, near 17% last year, and equal to average.

Sunflower condition rated 5% very poor, 12% poor, 32% fair, 46% good, and 5% excellent. Sunflowers ray flowers dry was 95%, near 93% last year. Bracts turned yellow was 87%, ahead of 72% last year, and near 85% average. Bracts turned brown was 62%, well ahead of 31% last year, and ahead of 56% average. Harvested was 6%, near 2% average.

Flaxseed harvested was 93%, well ahead of 59% last year, and ahead of 86% average.

Potato condition rated 3% very poor, 2% poor, 27% fair, 58% good, and 10% excellent. Potatoes vines dry was 96%, ahead of 89% last year, and near 93% average. Harvested was 64%, well ahead of 36% last year, and ahead of 45% average.

Dry edible beans harvested was 74%, well ahead of 36% last year, and ahead of 67% average.

Lentils harvested was 83%, ahead of 72% last year.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 14% very poor, 25% poor, 41% fair, 18% good, and 2% excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 9% very short, 31% short, 59% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Minnesota

Dry weather and above average temperatures advanced crop maturity and harvest progress during the week ending Sept. 27, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Field activities included harvesting corn for grain, soybeans, corn for silage, potatoes, sugar beets, sunflowers, and dry beans.

Topsoil moisture condition rated to 3% very short, 12% short, 79% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 3% very short, 10% short, 80% adequate and 7% surplus.

Corn for grain had reached maturity on 85% of the acres, 22 days ahead of last year and 13 days ahead of the 5- year average. The corn for grain harvest started and was 6% complete. This is 17 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of average. Corn moisture content of grain at harvest averaged 24%. Corn harvested for silage reached 91% complete, 24 days ahead of last year and 15 days ahead of normal. Corn condition improved slightly to 78% good to excellent.

Soybean acres were 90% dropping leaves, 15 days ahead of last year and one week above average. Soybeans were 31% harvested, 20 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of average. Soybean condition improved slightly to 77% good to excellent.

Sunflowers were 7% harvested, 26 days ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of normal. Sunflower condition remained at 76% good to excellent.

The potato harvest was 68% complete, 9 days ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of normal.

Eighteen percent of the sugar beet acres have been harvested with condition remaining at 93% good to excellent.

Dry beans dropping leaves was nearly complete at 97%. The dry bean harvest was 71% compete, 26 days ahead of last year but 2 days behind average. Pasture condition increased slightly to 57% good to excellent.

Iowa

Harvest showed rapid progress as Iowa farmers made the most of 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sept. 27, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Field activities also included drilling cover crops, applying fertilizer and manure, and fall tillage.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15% very short, 31% short, 53% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 21% very short, 34% short, 44% adequate and 1% surplus.

Corn was 97% in or beyond dent stage, over 2 weeks ahead of the previous year and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Only 18% of the crop has yet to reach maturity, 3 weeks ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of average. Corn harvest for grain reached 12% statewide, almost 3 weeks ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of average. This is the highest percent of corn harvested for grain completed by Sept. 27 since 2012 when 48% of the crop had been harvested. Corn condition rated 42% good to excellent.

Soybeans coloring or beyond advanced to 96%, which is 2 weeks ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of average.

Eighty-four percent of the soybean crop was dropping leaves or beyond, 16 days ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of average. Soybean harvest was 30% complete, 19 days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of average. This was the largest proportion of soybeans harvested by Sept. 27 since 2012 when 41% had been harvested. Farmers in northwest and west central Iowa continue to lead the way with almost half of their soybean acreage harvested. Soybean condition rated 47% good to excellent.

Nebraska

For the week ending Sept. 27, there were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 20% very short, 40% short, 39% adequate, and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 23% very short, 35% short, 41% adequate, and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 6% very poor, 11% poor, 20% fair, 44% good, and 19% excellent. Corn mature was 80%, well ahead of 48% last year, and ahead of 65% for the five-year average. Harvested was 14%, ahead of 7% last year, and near 10% average.

Soybean condition rated 6% very poor, 11% poor, 22% fair, 45% good, and 16% excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 92%, well ahead of 69% last year, and ahead of 80% average. Harvested was 29%, well ahead of 4% last year, and ahead of 13% average.

Winter wheat planted was 60%, behind 65% last year and 66% average. Emerged was 15%, near 16% last year, and behind 27% average.

Sorghum condition rated 5% very poor, 8% poor, 29% fair, 35% good, and 23% excellent. Sorghum coloring was 98%, near 97% both last year and average. Mature was 71%, well ahead of 33% last year, and ahead of 56% average. Harvested was 7%, ahead of 1% last year, but near 9% average.

Dry edible beans dropping leaves was 91%, near 92% last year. Harvested was 75%, ahead of 61% last year.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 13% very poor, 21% poor, 25% fair, 39% good, and 2% excellent.