May 11 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending May 10, 2015, rain fell statewide with an inch common in central counties and two or more inches of moisture recorded in many eastern and western areas, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rainfall of six to ten inches was received in portions of the Southeast, resulting in lowland flooding and soil erosion. Replanting was expected. Up to two feet of snow fell in portions of the northern Panhandle over the weekend, stressing livestock. Planting progress slowed due to the wet soil conditions, but were still ahead of average for most crops. There were 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 17 short, 64 adequate, and 13 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 23 short, 63 adequate, and 6 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn planted was at 76 percent, near 72 last year, but ahead of the five-year average of67.

Sorghum planted was at 23 percent, ahead of 9 last year and average.

Soybeans planted was at 25 percent, behind 32 last year, but near the 27 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 13 percent very poor, 18 poor, 33 fair, 33 good, and 3 excellent. Winter wheat jointed rated 84 percent complete, well ahead of 51 last year and 55 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 9 poor, 27 fair, 61 good, and 1 excellent. Oats emerged was at 91 percent, ahead of 81 last year and 74 average. Jointed was at 25 percent, well ahead of 3 last year.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 6 percent very poor, 10poor, 37 fair, 42 good, and 5 excellent.Stock water supplies rated 4 percent very short, 10 short, 84 adequate, and 2 surplus.



Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg/2010s/2015/CropProg-05-11-2015.pdf.

Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Preciptation 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 REPORT

After the previous week’s near-record corn planting, wet weather hindered spring planting during the week ending May 10, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were only 2.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Operators in eastern Iowa reported weeds were getting ahead of the sprayers as they were unable to get into the fields. Activities during the week included planting, fertilizer and herbicide application, and seedbed preparation.

Topsoil moisture levels rated to 0 percent very short, 7 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 2 percent very short, 10 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. North central and southwest Iowa reported the highest topsoil levels with 99 percent rated adequate to surplus, and southwest Iowa also reported the highest subsoil moisture level at 98 percent rated adequate to surplus.

Eighty-three percent of the corn crop has been planted, approximately one week ahead of both last year and 5-year average. Southwest Iowa lagged behind, with just 64 percent planted, compared to the highest district, northwest Iowa, where 96 percent of the corn was in the ground. Corn emerged reached 29 percent, just over one week ahead of last year. Corn emergence was described as excellent with reports of high stand counts in some areas. Soybean planting reached 30 percent complete, 5 days ahead of 2014, and 3 days ahead of the average. Ninety-eight percent of the oat crop has been planted, 10 days ahead of last year, and one week ahead of normal. Oats emerged reached 83 percent, 9 days ahead of last year, and 5 days ahead of normal. The season’s first oat condition ratings came in at 0 percent very poor, 0 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 68 percent good, and 11 percent excellent.

Limited progress has been made on the first cutting of alfalfa hay due to the cool wet weather. The first hay condition rating of the season was 0 percent very poor, 1 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Pasture condition improved to 67 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as mostly normal with continued reports of cattle being turned onto pasture. Muddy lots have been reported by some cattle producers in southwest Iowa. Meanwhile, poultry producers remain concerned about their flocks given the recent spread of avian influenza.



NORTHEY COMMENTS ON IOWA CROPS AND WEATHER REPORT

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commented on the Iowa Crops and Weather report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service.  The report is released weekly from April through October.

“The entire state saw at least some precipitation over the past week and as result planting progress was slowed, especially when compared to the previous week.  Fortunately, we remain ahead of the five-year average with 83 percent of corn and 30 percent of soybeans planted,” Northey said.



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

It was a warm week across Iowa with frequent precipitation. Temperatures were well above normal through Thursday (7th) and then cooled to near normal readings from Friday (8th) into Sunday (10th). Temperature extremes varied from a Saturday (9th) morning low of 33 degrees at Sibley to afternoon highs of 84 degrees at Muscatine on Wednesday (6th) and at Clinton, Davenport and Donnellson on Thursday (7th). Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from three degrees above normal over the northwest to eight to nine degrees above normal over the southeast with a statewide average of 6.4 degrees above normal. Rainfall was widespread from Sunday (3rd) evening into Monday (4th) morning with heaviest rain over northeast Iowa. Rain was again widespread the next night with greatest amounts over east central and southeast Iowa. Showers and thunderstorms were also widespread from Wednesday morning through Thursday evening with greatest amounts over west central and southwest Iowa. Light rain fell across far southeast Iowa on Friday (8th) while Saturday (9th) was dry in most areas. Thunderstorms moved back into the state on Sunday (10th) morning but the majority of this precipitation fell too late to be reflected in this week’s statistics. Weekly rain totals varied from only 0.09 inches at Hartford in Warren County to 4.46 inches at Lost Nation in Clinton County. The statewide average precipitation was 0.98 inches, nearly matching the weekly normal of 0.99 inches. There were scattered reports of high winds and large hail on Thursday. More intense severe weather occurred on Sunday (10th), particularly in Calhoun County, but will be included in next week’s summary. Soil temperatures at the four inch depth were averaging from the upper fifties in northwest Iowa to lower sixties across the southeast.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress - Seedy Progress for Most Crops

Corn and soybean planting sped along even faster than the trade expected with USDA reporting 75% and 31% of the crops in the ground, respectively, in Monday's Crop Progress report. Expectations were around 70% and 25% planted as of May 10.

Corn planting at 75% complete compared to 55% last week and a five-year average of 57%. Twenty-nine percent of the nation's corn is emerged, compared to 9% last week and a 24% average.

Soybean plantings increased by 18 percentage points to 31% planted, compared to 13% last week and a 20% average.

Winter wheat is 56% headed compared to 43% last week and 45% on average. Winter wheat condition remained about steady, with maybe a slight uptick... with forty-four percent of winter wheat was rated good to excellent on May 10.

Spring wheat is 87% planted and 54% emerged compared to 75% and 30% last week and 51% and 25% on average. 

Cotton is 26% planted, compared to 17% last week and a 32% average. Rice is 83% planted and 53% emerged, compared to 61% and 37% last week and 72% and 56% five-year averages.

Sorghum is 32% planted, compared to 29% last week and a 33% average. Oats are 93% planted and 72% emerged, compared to 85% and 57% last week and 76% and 59% averages. Oats condition was reported for the first time this week at 6% poor to very poor and 73% good to excellent. Barley is 88% planted and 59% emerged, compared to 75% and 39% last week and 58% and 28% on average.