May 21 Crop Progress and Condition Report

Rains Replenish Nebraska Soils

Agricultural  Summary: 
For  the  week  ending  May 20, 2012, hot, dry, and windy conditions prevailed until showers moved across portions of eastern Nebraska late in the week,  according  to  USDA’s  National  Agricultural  Statistics Service,  Nebraska  Field  Office.   The  above  normal temperatures  and  winds  have  taken  a  toll  on  soil  moisture levels,  which  continue  well  below  last  year  and  normal.  Producers  have  started pivots  to  aid  crop germination  and  to activate  chemicals.   Progress  in  planting  spring  crops continued  ahead  of  average  with  corn  near  completion, soybeans  near  two  weeks  ahead  of  average,  and  half  of  the sorghum crop planted.  Wheat was 81 percent headed, 19 days ahead of average.  Progress of  the  first cutting of alfalfa was  3 weeks ahead of average. Proso millet and dry bean planting continued.   The dry conditions have affected pastures as well, with poorest conditions in northern Panhandle counties.    
 
Weather  Summary:  
Temperatures  averaged  3  degrees above  normal  in  the  west  to  6  degrees  above  normal  in  the east.   High  temperatures ranged from  the mid 90’s  to  lows of lower  30’s  in  the  Panhandle.    Precipitation  fell  across  most areas  of  the  state  but  accumulation  varied  widely.    The Northeast  District  received  the  largest  amounts  with  some locations  recording  over  1.5  inches  of  rain.   The  Panhandle has received near half of normal precipitation since the first of the year.   Topsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  8, Short   42, Adequate  49, Surplus   1.  Subsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  11, Short  39, Adequate  49, Surplus 1.  GDD since April 15 (normal):  Concord 449  (346),  Elgin  432  (344),  West Point  467  (357),  Mead  496  (368).  Rainfall inches since April 1 (% of normal):  NE 5.05, 101%;  EC 5.50, 103%;  SE 4.85,  89%.    

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and  range conditions  declined  and  rated  1  percent  very  poor,  8  poor,  38  fair,  49  good,  and  4  excellent,  below  last  year’s  73 percent good to excellent and 72 average.

Field  Crops  Report: 
Corn  planting  neared  completion  at  98  percent  complete,  ahead  of  91  last  year  and  92  average.  Corn emerged stood at 78 percent, well ahead of 45  last year and  9  days  ahead  of  49  average.    Corn  conditions  rated  2 percent poor, 20 fair, 71 good, and 7 excellent.

Soybean  planting was  83  percent  complete,  ahead  of  60  last year  and  13  days  ahead  of  54  average.    Soybeans  emerged were 42 percent, ahead of 15 last year and 12 average.

Sorghum  planting  was  47  percent  complete,  ahead  of  28  last  year  and  1  week  ahead  of  27  average.   Sorghum emerged was 17 percent, ahead of 5 last year and 4 average.

Oats  emerged were  at 99 percent, well  ahead of  82  last  year and 93 average.  Oats conditions rated 2 percent poor, 26 fair, 70 good, and 2 excellent. 

Wheat  headed  was  81  percent,  ahead  of  6  last  year  and  19  days  ahead  of  11  average.    The  impact  of  hot  and  dry conditions and low temperatures on wheat in the Panhandle is being felt.  Wheat conditions declined and rated 2 percent very poor,  6  poor,  32  fair,  52  good,  and  8  excellent,  above  last year’s 52 percent good to excellent but below 64 average.  

The  first  cutting  of  alfalfa  was  58  percent  complete,  well ahead of 3 last year and 23 days ahead of 7 average.  Concerns continued  over  insect  activity.    Alfalfa  rated  1  percent  very  poor,  6  poor,  28  fair,  53  good,  and  12 excellent, below 73 percent good to excellent last year and average.    Wild  hay  conditions  rated  3  percent  poor,  24  fair,  71  good, and 2 excellent, above last year’s 68 percent good to excellent.



Current Weather & Crops County Comments
Survey Date: 05/20/2012

BOONE
Rain passed through the county on Saturday evening with results being very spotty. Some reports of an inch plus but also some reports of nothing. It is very dry in some areas of the county. A good even rain over the entire area is needed badly. Producers in the county have started running their pivots this last week to get crop up and growing. Pastures in the west part of the county are rapidly drying up.

BURT
Significant and very needed rains came Saturday. Pastures and crops were in need of the rains.

DIXON
One half to 1.5 inches of rain over the weekend has brought new life to a rapidly deteriorating crop situation in the northern part of Dixon County. Hot, dry winds prior to the weekend storm system were taking their toll. Cool season pasture is behind for this time of year.

DODGE
A lot of planting progress was made this week. Center Pivots were being turned on to aid in activating chemicals and seed germination. Crop growth was slow because of low moisture.

DODGE
Very hot and windy all week. We finally received a much needed rain over most of Dodge County Saturday night 5/12/2012. Most areas received about an inch of rain.

GAGE
First wheat fields with a hint of color.

GAGE
The northern half of the county received some rain over the weekend but the southern half remains very dry. A rain is desperately needed at this point.

KNOX
Rain was received over the weekend which greatly helped conditions of all crops. Insect damage in alfalfa has been severe. Hopefully, harvest of the first crop will break their life cycle. Emergence of planted crops has been very good.

LANCASTER
Most corn showing 2 to 3 leafs. Soybeans are 75% emerged with about 50% of emerged plants showing first tri-foliate leaf.

MADISON
Rainfall has been very limited since April 14, which was the last significant rain in the area. Topsoil is very dry. Grass and pastures started early but development seems to have slowed the past couple weeks. Soil profile is dry so it appears that timely rains will be needed this growing season to realize a good crop.

NEMAHA
Dry conditions have allowed farmers to essentially complete planting of corn and soybeans and also complete harvesting of first cutting of alfalfa. All wheat is headed out and generally looks good. Top soil has dried out with warm temperatures and winds. Newly planted crops are in need of rain.

WASHINGTON
Need rain to continue good development of corn and soybeans.



Click the link to see the latest USDA progress numbers:  http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-05-21-2012.txt.



Almost Half the Soybean Crop Planted last week in Iowa

Iowa  farmers  took  advantage  of  another  warm  and  dry  week  and planted  crops  at  a  rapid  pace.  As  corn  planting  neared  completion, farmers were able  to  focus more on  soybean planting. Other activities included spraying crops and cutting hay.

There were 6.6 days suitable  for  fieldwork during  the week, compared with  5.1  days  the  previous  week.  With  areas  in  Northwest  Iowa receiving at  least an  inch of rain,  it was the only district with  less  than six days suitable for  fieldwork. Topsoil moisture  levels rated 7 percent very short, 37 percent short, 55 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture rated 6 percent very short, 24 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. 

Corn planting now stands at 98 percent complete. A  few  farmers have reported  having  to  replant  some  corn  fields  damaged  by  late  April showers.  Eighty-one percent  of  the  corn  crop  has  emerged,  1  week ahead of normal. Corn condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor,  16 percent  fair,  60 percent  good,  and  21 percent  excellent.

Soybean  planting  advanced  46 percentage  points  statewide,  and  now stands 85 percent complete, ahead of last year’s 69 percent and the five-year  average  of  60 percent.  Farmers  in  North  Central  Iowa  planted 55 percent of their soybeans during the week, the largest increase in the state. Twenty-six percent of the expected soybean acreage has emerged, ahead of  last year’s 16 percent and the five-year average of 13 percent.

Twenty percent  of  the  oat  crop  has  headed,  almost  3 weeks  ahead  of normal.  Oat  condition  decreased  slightly  to  0 percent  very  poor, 2 percent  poor,  19 percent  fair,  64 percent  good,  and  15 percent excellent.

Sixty-eight percent of Iowa’s pasture and range  land  is now rated good to  excellent,  a  5 percentage  point  decrease  from  the  previous  week. Pasture and  range condition  rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 20 percent excellent.


IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
Provided by Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

Iowa  experienced  a mostly dry  and warm week.  Rain was  limited  to only  three events.  The  first  two events brought  scattered  light  rain  to small portions of far eastern Iowa on Tuesday evening and far western Iowa on Saturday morning.  The  last  event on Saturday night brought over an inch of rain to a few areas along the western border of the state with light rain extending into about the west one-third of Iowa.   No rain was  reported  over  most  of  the  eastern  two-thirds  of  Iowa  this  week while Correctionville in Woodbury County reported  the most rain with 2.03  inches.  The  statewide  average precipitation was 0.15  inch while normal for the week is 1.05 inches.  Clear skies and dry air brought cool nights  and  warm  days  from Monday  (14th)  through  Thursday  (17th).  Temperatures  fell  as  low  as  38 degrees  at  Belle  Plaine,  Coggon  and Grinnell on Monday morning and 36 degrees at Sheldon on Wednesday morning  while  Ames  recorded  a  high  of  92 degrees  on  Tuesday afternoon.   Increasing  clouds  and  humidity  resulted  in  much  higher overnight  temperatures  on  Friday  and  Saturday  with  daytime  highs mostly in the 80s along with some 90s.  Sioux City reached 93 degrees  on Friday and Spencer soared to 95 on Saturday.  A cold front brought much  lower  temperatures  and  humidity  on  Sunday  but  not  before Davenport and Lowden reached 90 degrees.  Temperatures for the week as  a  whole  averaged  6.5 degrees      above  normal.   The  recent  dry weather has been fabulous for allowing rapid planting but rain is greatly needed over much of central and eastern Iowa where no precipitation of consequence has occurred  in  two weeks.  The  recent dryness has been exacerbated by  frequent strong winds,  low humidity and above normal temperatures statewide.