Crop progress and pasture conditions

South Dakota

For the week ending Oct. 18, there were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 22% very short, 50% short, 28% adequate, and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 19% very short, 45% short, 36% adequate, and 0% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 4% poor, 15% fair, 67% good and 12% excellent. Corn harvested was 64%, well ahead of 8% last year and 24% for the five-year average.

Soybeans harvested was 90%, well ahead of 27% last year and 60% average.

Winter wheat planted was 97%, near 93% both last year and average. Emerged was 71%, behind 76% last year, and near 72% average.

Sorghum harvested was 83%, well ahead of 14% last year and 32% average.

Sunflowers harvested was 26%, well ahead of 4% last year, and near 22% average.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 13% very poor, 25% poor, 41% fair, 21% good and 0% excellent.

North Dakota

For the week ending Oct. 18, there were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 30% very short, 37% short, 32% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 25% very short, 35% short, 38% adequate and 2% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Soybeans harvested was 92%, well ahead of 19% last year and 65% for the five-year average.

Winter wheat condition rated 1% very poor, 8% poor, 35% fair, 52% good and 4% excellent. Winter wheat planted was 95%, ahead of 86% last year, and near 91% average. Emerged was 83%, ahead of 65% last year and 72% average.

Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 8% poor, 31% fair, 47% good and 12% excellent. Corn mature was 97%, well ahead of 58% last year, and ahead of 87% average. Harvested was 55%, well ahead of 3% last year and 19% average.

Sugar beets harvested was 97%, well ahead of 38% last year and 76% average.

Sunflower condition rated 3% very poor, 13% poor, 32% fair, 48% good and 4% excellent. Sunflowers bracts turned brown was 95%, ahead of 84% last year, and near 94% average. Harvested was 44%, well ahead of 5% last year and 22% average.

Lentils harvested was 95%, near 94% last year.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 14% very poor, 31% poor, 36% fair, 17% good and 2% excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 13% very short, 32% short, 55% adequate and 0% surplus.

Minnesota

There were scattered rain showers in the eastern half of Minnesota, but otherwise mostly dry conditions advanced harvest progress during the week ending Oct. 18, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Field activities included fall tillage, harvesting corn for grain, soybeans, sugar beets and sunflowers.

Topsoil moisture condition rated to 5% very short, 15% short, 76% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 4% very short, 14% short, 78% adequate and 4% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn for grain harvest was 63% complete, 23 days ahead of last year and 2 weeks ahead of the 5-year average. Corn moisture content of grain at harvest averaged 18%, falling 1 percentage point from last week. Corn condition fell marginally to 80% good to excellent. Soybeans were 96% harvested, 29 days ahead of last year and 20 days ahead of average.

Sunflowers were 77% harvested, over a month ahead of last year and 18 days ahead of normal. Sugar beet harvest advanced to 98% complete. This was just over 3 weeks ahead of last year and the average.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture condition declined to 45% good to excellent.

Iowa

Harvest is nearing completion for some, as Iowa farmers had 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Oct. 18, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Other field activities again included baling corn stalks, applying fertilizer and manure, and fall tillage. Cover crops are beginning to green up where early planting was possible.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 18% very short, 40% short, 42% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 22% very short, 39% short, 39% adequate and 0% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn for grain harvested in the state reached 65%, over 3 weeks ahead of last year and just over 2 weeks ahead of average. Moisture content of field corn being harvested for grain fell to 16%. Farmers in south central Iowa still have approximately two-thirds of their corn for grain yet to be harvested while farmers in the remainder of the state have already harvested at least one-half of their crop.

Only 10% of Iowa’s soybean crop remains to be harvested, also over 3 weeks ahead of last year and over 2 weeks ahead of average. Farmers in northwest, north central and west central Iowa have less than 5% of their soybeans remaining to be harvested. In contrast, farmers in the southern one-third of the state have at least 20% of their soybeans remaining to be harvested.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture condition rated 20% good to excellent. Some pastures are already dormant. Cattle producers in some areas continue to supplement hay and water supplies. There were scattered reports of cows turned out on corn stalks.

Nebraska

For the week ending Oct. 18, there were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 34% very short, 46% short, 20% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 32% very short, 40% short, 27% adequate and 1% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 6% very poor, 13% poor, 22% fair, 42% good and 17% excellent. Corn harvested was 58%, well ahead of 27% last year and 31% for the five-year average.

Soybeans harvested was 92%, well ahead of 51% last year and 58% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 5% very poor, 16% poor, 38% fair, 37% good and 4% excellent. Winter wheat planted was 94%, near 97% last year and 95% average. Emerged was 72%, behind 80% last year and 81% average.

Sorghum condition rated 4% very poor, 9% poor, 25% fair, 38% good and 24% excellent. Sorghum harvested was 60%, well ahead of 19% last year and 35% average.

Dry edible beans harvested was 96%, ahead of 89% last year.

Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 30% very poor, 32% poor, 23% fair, 14% good and 1% excellent.