June 8 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending June 7, 2015, rainfall of one to two inches was common, with six inches or more reported across portions of the southeast, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures averaged two to four degrees above normal. The wet soil conditions again limited planting activities and were favorable for disease development in wheat. Alfalfa harvest continued to be challenging, with hay quality issues in some areas. Clear skies and warmer conditions were needed to boost growth and development of row crops. There were 3.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 9 short, 69 adequate, and 19 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 15 short, 66 adequate, and 14 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 30 fair, 58 good, and 7 excellent. Corn planted was at 97 percent, near 100 for both last year and the five-year average. Emerged was at 89 percent, behind 97 last year and 95 average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 26 fair, 58 good, and 10 excellent. Soybeans planted was at 83 percent, behind 99 last year and 95 average. Emerged was at 59 percent, well behind 89 last year and
79 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 14 percent very poor, 19 poor, 29 fair, 36 good, and 2 excellent. Winter wheat headed was at 85 percent, ahead of 80 last year and 73 average. Turning color was at 10 percent, near 7 last year, but behind 16 average.

Sorghum planted was at 59 percent, well behind 89 last year and 81 average. Emerged was at 30 percent, near 32 last year, but behind 46 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 7 poor, 26 fair, 62 good, and 3 excellent. Oats jointed was at 80 percent, well ahead of 40 last year. Headed was at 39 percent, ahead of 25 last year and 31 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 26 fair, 55 good, and 12 excellent. Alfalfa first cutting was at 36 percent, behind 48 last year and 52 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 6 poor, 27 fair, 53 good, and 11 excellent.  Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 6 short, 85 adequate, and 7 surplus. 



Access the National publication for Crop Progress and Condition tables at:
http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg/2010s/2015/CropProg-06-08-2015.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 REPORT

Warmer temperatures and plenty of sunshine improved field conditions in Iowa during the week ending June 7, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Farmers were able to  continue planting, while finally getting into previously wet fields to apply herbicide and side dress nitrogen. Statewide there were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork, allowing farmers to harvest almost a third of the first cutting of alfalfa hay. Reports out of western Iowa stated that grain movement is fairly strong and many farmers are hauling out their old crop.

Topsoil moisture levels rated to 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 19 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 5 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 14 percent surplus. South central Iowa had the highest topsoil moisture level at 100 percent rated adequate to surplus. North central Iowa reported the highest subsoil moisture levels rated at 99 percent adequate to surplus.

Ninety-six percent of the corn crop has emerged, 4 days ahead of the 5-year average. Eighty-two percent of the corn crop was rated good to excellent.

Soybean planting reached 88 percent complete, 9 days behind 2014, and 1 day behind average. Southwest and south central Iowa continued to lag behind in the planting of their expected soybean acreage with only 51 and 65 percent of their soybean crop in the ground, respectively. Soybean emergence reached 71 percent, 4 days behind last year. The first soybean condition rating of the season came in at 0 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 67 percent good, and 13 percent excellent.

Twenty-four percent of the oat acreage was at or beyond the heading stage this week, slightly ahead of last year, but 3 days behind average. Oat condition remained 81 percent good to excellent.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay went from a week behind normal to even with the 5-year average this week and now stands at 49 percent complete. Hay conditions rated 81 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition improved to 79 percent good to excellent.

Livestock experienced little stress.



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

The reporting week began with dry and unseasonably cool weather with overnight low temperatures mostly in the forties and lower fifties on Monday (1st) and Tuesday (2nd). Heat and humidity gradually increased over the remainder of the week. Showers and thunderstorms were scattered over the west two-thirds of the state on Wednesday (3rd) with heaviest rains over the far southwest with a few amounts over an inch. Thursday (4th), Friday (5th) and Saturday (6th) were dry in most areas although there were a few very isolated thunderstorms, particularly near Chariton on Friday night. Nearly all of the week’s rain fell Saturday night into Sunday (7th) morning with just a few south central and southwest locations missing the weekend rains. One to two inches of rain fell with the heaviest thunderstorms across central and northern Iowa with these weekend rains, along with many high wind reports in west central into central Iowa. Thunderstorms also developed Sunday (7th) afternoon over parts of far southern Iowa with localized heavy rain and high winds. However, these last storms occurred too late to be reflected in this week’s statistics. Temperature extremes ranged from a Monday (1st) morning low of 36 degrees at Elkader to a Thursday afternoon high of 88degrees at Vinton.  Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged from one degree below normal in the extreme southeast to four degrees above normal in the far northwest with a statewide average of 1.6 degrees above normal. Weekly rain totals varied from only 0.08 inches at Fort Madison (however heavy rains fell just after the reporting period at Fort Madison) to 2.56 inches near Harcourt in Webster County. The statewide average precipitation was 0.72 inches while normal for the week is 1.17 inches.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

Corn planting wrapped up in the U.S. and winter wheat harvest got started during the week ended June 7, according to USDA's weekly Crop Progress report issued Monday.

The corn crop is 91% emerged, compared to 84% last week and a five-year average of 90%. Corn condition is the same as last week at 74% rated good to excellent.

Soybeans are 79% planted and 64% emerged, compared to 71% and 49% last week and 81% and 63% on average. Soybean conditions are 69% good to excellent.

Winter wheat is 4% harvested, compared to a 12% five-year average. Winter wheat condition decreased slightly to 43% good to excellent, compared to 44% last week.

Spring wheat is nearly all emerged at 97%, compared to 91% last week and an 80% five-year average. USDA reports 69% of the spring wheat crop was rated good to excellent. 

Cotton is 81% planted and 7% squaring, compared to 61% and 3% last week and five-year averages of 89% and 10%. Cotton condition is 50% good to excellent and 50% fair to poor.

Rice is nearly all emerged at 95% and condition ratings held steady with last week.

Sorghum is 56% planted compared to 43% last week and 68% on average.

Oats are 38% headed compared to 30% last week and a 39% five-year average. Oat condition fell two percentage points to 66% good to excellent, compared to 68% last week.

Barley condition ratings increased to 76% good to excellent, compared to 74% last week.