April 13 Crop Progress & Condition Report NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending April 12, 2015, temperatures averaged above normal with an inch or more of precipitation falling across east central and northeastern counties, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.   Cloudy conditions, combined with drizzle, began mid-week and extended through Friday.   This kept fieldwork to a minimum but did little to mitigate drought conditions which persisted in central and southern areas.   The danger of range fires continued in western and northern areas. Soil temperatures were too cool for row crop germination, with only a few corn fields planted.   Topsoil moisture supplies rated 15 percent very short, 32 short, 50 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 13 percent very short, 29 short, 57 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Winter wheat condition rated 12 percent very poor, 18 poor, 34 fair, 33 good, and 3 excellent.

Oats planted was at 70 percent, well ahead of 25 last year and the five-year average of 46. Oats emerged was at 12 percent, ahead of 4 last year, but near 10 average.  

Livestock Report:
Cattle and calf conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 13 fair, 73 good, and 13 excellent. Cattle and calf death loss rated 0 percent heavy, 64 average, and 36 light. Calving progress rated 76 percent complete.

Sheep and lamb conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 15 fair, 73 good, and 12 excellent. Sheep and lamb death loss rated 0 percent heavy, 65 average, and 35 light.  

Hay and roughage supplies rated 2 percent very short, 8 short, 87 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Stock water supplies rated 3 percent very short, 13 short, 83 adequate, and 1 surplus. 




Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg/2010s/2015/CropProg-04-13-2015.pdf. 

Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at: http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps/current/index.php?action=update_region&state=NE&region=HPRCC. 

Access the U.S. Drought Monitor at: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?NE. 



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT
  
Wet conditions continued to slow down fieldwork in Iowa during the week ending April 12, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Parts of Iowa experienced snow during the week and cool soil temperatures remain a concern. After a slow start, farmers in northern Iowa continued to apply anhydrous, while
applications in the southern two-thirds of the State were winding down.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 17 percent short, 76 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 20 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 3 percent surplus. North central Iowa reported the highest soil moisture levels with topsoil and subsoil moisture levels rated 95 percent and 87 percent in adequate to surplus, respectively.

One-quarter of the State’s expected oat crop was planted during the week ending April 12, 2015. Forty-two percent of oats have been planted, 5 days ahead of last year, but slightly behind normal. Four percent of oats have emerged, 5 days ahead of last year, but 6 days behind the average.

Pasture condition rated 41 percent good to excellent. Pastures are greening up, but use by livestock has been limited due to slow growth. Livestock conditions were reported as mostly good with some reports of calving nearing completion. 


Nation's Corn 2% Planted; Wheat Condition Worsens

Corn planting is 2% complete nationwide according to USDA's Crop Progress report for the week ended April 12. That is 1 percentage point behind last year's pace at this time and 3 percentage points behind the five-year average.

The winter wheat crop is 6% headed, compared to 5% last year and a five-year average of 8%. But condition ratings fell in the past week to 19% poor to very poor compared to 16% last week.  Forty-two percent of winter wheat was rated good to excellent . 

Cotton is 4% planted, compared to 2% last week, 8% last year and an 8% five-year average. Rice is 26% planted and 8% emerged, compared to 14% and 3% last week, 24% and 8% last year and 30% and 11% on average.

Sorghum is 16% planted, compared to 9% last week, 19% last year and a five-year average of 20%. Oats are 43% planted, compared to 32% last week, 34% last year and a 45% 5-year average. Oat emergence is at 28%, compared to 26% last week, 29% last year and a 33% average. Barley is 27% planted, compared to a 15% five-year average and 15% last year.

Spring wheat planting is 17% complete, compared to 5% last year and an 11% average. "The advanced pace of planting is neutral to bearish," Hultman said.

Nationwide, topsoil moisture is rated 6% very short, 17% short, 53% adequate and 24% surplus. That compares to 5%, 18%, 56% and 21% last week and 14%, 22%, 51% and 13% last year.

Subsoil moisture is rated 6% very short, 17% short, 58% adequate and 19% surplus. That compared to 5%, 18%, 60% and 17% last week and 15%, 26%, 51%, and 8% last year.