April 27 Crop Progress and Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending April 26, 2015, rain fell over the weekend in many southern counties, including those in the lower Panhandle, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Southwestern, central and, northeastern areas remained mostly dry. Temperatures were below normal across the eastern two-thirds of the State, while near normal elsewhere. Planting progress was slow due to cool soil temperatures. There were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 25 short, 64 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 11 percent very short, 27 short, 60 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn planted was at 16 percent, near 18 last year, and the five-year average of 17.  Winter wheat condition rated 14 percent very poor, 18 poor, 31 fair, 35 good, and 2 excellent. Winter wheat jointed rated 17 percent complete, ahead of 4 last year, but near 21 average.

Sorghum planted was at 1 percent, near 2 last year and equal to the average.

Oats condition rated 1 percent very poor, 8 poor, 29 fair, 61 good, and 1 excellent. Oats planted was at 95 percent, ahead of 88 last year and 81 average. Oats emerged was at 70 percent, ahead of 55 last year and 44 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 90 percent complete.

Sheep and lamb conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 14 fair, 73 good, and 13 excellent. Sheep and lamb death loss rated 0 percent heavy, 65 average, and 35 light.

Hay and roughage supplies rated 2 percent very short, 9 short, 86 adequate, and 3 surplus. Stock water supplies rated 4 percent very short, 11 short, 84 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-04-27-2015.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 AND CONDITION

Rain events and cool weather slowed planting in Iowa during the week ending April 26, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included manure hauling, tillage, anhydrous application, and limited planting.

Topsoil moisture levels improved to 0 percent very short, 10 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. It was the first April week since 2011 with no topsoil rated very short. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 14 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 4 percent surplus.

Fourteen percent of the corn acreage has been planted, just ahead of last year, but 4 days behind the 5-year average. Farmers in central Iowa led the way with more than one-quarter of their corn crop planted. Eighty-five percent of the oat crop has been planted, almost two weeks ahead of last year, and 1 week ahead of average. Oats emerged reached 41 percent, 9 days ahead of last year, and 1 day ahead of normal. North central and northeast Iowa lagged behind, with only 22 and 23 percent of oats emerged, respectively.

Pasture condition improved to 56 percent good to excellent. Pastures continued to green up, though cool weather has slowed growth. Cattle and hog conditions were reported as good. Poultry producers were concerned with the recent outbreak of avian influenza.



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

The past reporting week brought unseasonably cool weather throughout the week with the exception of far northwest Iowa where temperatures climbed above normal on Friday (24th). Freezes were widespread on Wednesday (22nd) and Thursday (23rd) mornings with scattered freezes on Tuesday (21st) and Saturday (25th) mornings. Temperatures fell as low as 23 degrees at Sibley on Wednesday morning, 22 degrees at Cresco, Decorah and Elkader on Thursday morning and 24 degrees at Elkader on Saturday morning. A hard freeze occurred as far south as the Missouri border o Thursday morning in valley bottom locations. On the other extreme, Friday afternoon temperatures reached 76 degrees at Hawarden and Sioux City. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from two degrees below normal over the far northwest to eight degrees below normal across the northeast one-third of Iowa. The statewide average temperature for the week was 6.2 degrees below normal. Meanwhile, there was some light rain across northeast and east central Iowa on Monday (20th) morning and also on Tuesday over parts of southwest and south central Iowa. However, nearly all of the week’s rain fell between Friday morning and Saturday morning with greatest amounts across the southern one-half of the state. Weekly rain totals varied from just a trace at Cherokee, Rock Rapids and Sheldon to 1.61 inches at Camanche (Clinton Co.). The state wide average precipitation was 0.54 inches while normal for the week is 0.93 inches. Soil temperatures at the four inch depth were averaging near fifty degrees as of Sunday (26th).



USDA Weekly Crop Progress - Corn Planters Start to Really Roll

Corn planting nationwide increased 10 percentage points during the week ended April 26 and 2% of the crop is emerged, according to USDA's weekly Crop Progress and Conditions report released Monday.

This surge put corn planting two percentage points ahead of last year at this time, but progress remains 6 percentage points behind the five-year average. Emergence is 4 percentage points behind the average pace.

USDA reported soybean planting progress for the first time this growing season on Monday. Two percent of the nation's crop is in the ground, compared to 3% last year and a 4% five-year average.

Winter wheat is 28% headed compared to 16% last week, 17% last year and a 24% average. Winter wheat condition declined to 20% poor to very poor, compared to 19% last week.

Spring wheat is 55% planted and 9% emerged, compared to 17% and 4% last year and 29% and 9% on average. 

Cotton is 10% planted, compared to 8% last week, 12% last year and a 16% average. Rice planting is 39% complete compared to 32% last week, 43% last year and a 54% average. Rice is 26% emerged, compared to 17% last week, 24% last year and a 34% average.

Sorghum planting is 24% complete compared to 19% last week, 26% last year and a 25% average. Oats are 71% planted and 43% emerged, compared to 59% and 32% last week, 52% and 36% last year and 60% and 43% on average. Barley is 56% planted and 18% emerged, compared to 32% and 10% last year and 35% and 9% on average.