May 7 Crop Progress and Condition Report

RAINS SLOW PLANTING PROGRESS IN NEBRASKA, STILL WELL AHEAD OF AVERAGE

Agricultural  Summary: 
For  the  week  ending  May  6,  2012,  producers made  significant  planting progress  with  favorable  conditions,  according  to USDA’s  National  Agricultural  Statistics  Service, Nebraska Field Office.  Above normal temperatures and  limited precipitation  allowed  active  field work and aided crop development.   Corn planted  jumped to  near  three-fourths  complete  with  25  percent emerged.  Soybean  planting  was  29  percent complete  and  sorghum  planted  stood  at  7  percent.  Wheat  jointed was  87  percent with  one  quarter  of the  crop  headed,  19  days  ahead  of  average.   The first  cutting  of  alfalfa  continued  3 weeks  ahead  of average.  Cattle  have  been  moved  to  summer pastures.  

Weather  Summary:   
Temperatures  averaged  9  degrees  above  normal  across  the  state.    High temperatures  ranged  from  the  mid  90’s  in  the southern half of Nebraska to lows of mid 30’s in the Panhandle.    The  East  Central  and  Southeast Districts averaged over 1  inch of precipitation with other districts near half an inch or less.   Topsoil Mooisture (%): Very Short  3;  Short   16;  Adequate  76;  Surplus   5.  Subsoil Moisture:  Very Short  6;  Short  26;  Adequate  66;  Surplus    2.   GDD since April 15 (average):  Concord  250  (186),  Elgin  248  (186),  West Point  264  (191),  Mead  283  (196).  
 
Field  Crops  Report: 
Corn  planting  advanced  to  74  percent  complete,  well  ahead  of  last  year’s  45  and  one  week  ahead  of  50  average.    Corn emerged  stood  at  25  percent, well  ahead  of  3  last year and eight days ahead of 7 average. 

Soybean  planting was  29  percent  complete,  ahead of 11  last year and 10 average.  Soybeans emerged were 3 percent.

Sorghum  planting  was  7  percent  completed compared to 5 last year and 3 average.

Wheat  jointed  was  87  percent,  well  ahead  of  last year’s 40 and near three weeks ahead of 45 average.  Wheat  headed  was  25  percent.    Disease  was  a concern  in  parts  of  South  Central  and  Southeast Districts.   Wheat  conditions  rated  1  percent  very poor,  5  poor,  28  fair,  55  good,  and  11  excellent, above  last  year’s  46  percent  good  to  excellent  and 63 average.  

Oats planted were at 96 percent, ahead of last year’s 91  and  92  average.   Oats  emerged  were  at  80  percent,  well  ahead  of  57  last  year  and  65  average.  Oats  conditions  rated  1  percent  poor, 18 fair, 74 good, and 7 excellent. 

The first cutting of alfalfa was 20 percent complete.  Concerns  were  expressed  over  insect  activity.  Alfalfa  rated 5 percent  poor, 24  fair, 54 good,  and  17  excellent,  below  last  year’s  76  percent  good  to excellent and near 70 average.    Wild  hay  conditions  rated  2  percent  poor,  29  fair,  65 good, and 4 excellent.
 
Livestock,  Pasture  and  Range  Report: 
Pasture and  range  conditions  rated  1  percent  very  poor,  6 poor, 32 fair, 55 good, and 6 excellent, below last year’s 65 percent good to excellent and 68 average.



Current Weather & Crops County Comments
Survey Date: 05/06/2012
DIXON
Both counties received rain at the end of the week. A wide variation in the amount of rain in different parts of both counties. Producers are making good progress in getting the crop in the ground.

DODGE
The corn is looking good with the rains we have had. Good progress was made over last weekend and early this week with a chance of rain coming mid week.

DOUGLAS
Heavy rains Sunday morning caused some erosion of newly planted and tilled crop ground but earlier rains came down nice.

KNOX
Great progress was made in planting. Corn is beginning to emerge. Insect damage in alfalfa is reported. Some irrigation is being performed to activate herbicide.

NEMAHA
Some timely rains have helped with crop emergence. Corn planting is essentially completed in the area with soybean planting progressing nicely. Alfalfa is ready to harvest and most of the wheat is headed in the region as well.

SARPY
Heavy rains Sunday morning caused some erosion of newly planted and tilled crop ground but earlier rains came down nice.



Click here to see the latest national crop progress numbers... http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-05-07-2012.txt. 



MOISTURE SLOWS IOWA PLANTING PROGRESS

Iowa’s  planting  progress  was  slowed  by  persistent  rain  and thunderstorms that swept through the state. Farmers are looking forward to  a  stretch  of  clear  weather  to  help  dry  out  the  fields  so  planting activities can resume.  

There were 1.5 days suitable  for  fieldwork during  the week, compared to 4.3 days  the previous week. The days suitable  for  fieldwork  ranged from a low of .8 days in South Central and Southeast Iowa to a high of only 2.3 days  in Northwest  Iowa. Topsoil moisture  levels  increased  to 0 percent  very  short,  3 percent  short,  68 percent  adequate,  and 29 percent  surplus.  Subsoil moisture  also  increased  and  is  now  rated 6 percent  very  short,  13 percent  short,  66 percent  adequate,  and 15 percent surplus.

Even  with  limited  opportunities,  farmers  managed  to  advance  corn planting 14 percentage points. Corn planting now  stands  at 64 percent complete,  ahead of  last year’s 52 percent  and  the  five-year  average of 58 percent. Northwest  Iowa  producers  lead  the way  for  corn  planting with  76 percent  complete.  Twenty-three percent  of  the  corn  crop  has emerged,  4  days  ahead  of  normal.  Soybean  planting  was  7 percent complete,  equal  to  last  year  but  behind  the  five-year  average  of 11 percent. Southeast and Southwest  Iowa are  the most advanced with 14 percent of their soybeans planted. Oat planting was nearly complete. Ninety percent of  the  expected oat  acreage has emerged, ahead of  last year’s  64 percent  and  the  five-year  average  of  57 percent.  Oats  have begun  heading  in  some  areas  of  the  state. Oat  condition  improved  to 0 percent  very  poor,  2 percent  poor,  20 percent  fair,  63 percent  good, and 15 percent excellent.

Seventy-three percent  of  Iowa’s  pasture  and  range  land  is  now  rated good to excellent, a 5 percentage point increase from the previous week. Pasture and  range condition  rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 24 percent excellent.


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

The past reporting week began on the cool side with widespread rain on Monday  (30th).     Much warmer weather  prevailed  for  the  rest  of  the week with frequent thunderstorms.   Temperature extremes varied from a Monday (30th) morning low of 35 degrees at Elkader to Saturday (5th) afternoon  highs  of  93  degrees  at  Little  Sioux  and  Sioux  City.   Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from 7 degrees warmer than normal over the far east to 14 degrees above normal in the far west.   The  statewide  average  temperature  was  10.3  degrees  above  normal.   Rain  fell  frequently  throughout  the week with  few  locations managing more  than  two  consecutive  dry  days.      Rain  totals  varied  from  0.43 inches at the Dubuque Airport to 5.39 inches at the Washington Airport.   The  statewide  average  precipitation was  1.51  inches while normal  for the week  is 0.98  inches.     Severe  thunderstorms occurred every day at some  location  within  the  state  except  on  Monday.      The  most widespread  severe  weather  came  on  Friday  afternoon  and  evening across the northern one-third of the state with numerous reports of large hail, high winds and tornadoes.   Finally, soil temperatures as of Sunday (6th) had warmed to the mid to upper 60s statewide.