September 14 Crop Production & Progress report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending September 13, 2015, temperatures averaged near normal with rain confined to the eastern half of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Silage cutting was active in a number of areas. Seed corn harvest had just begun and the first fields of high moisture corn were being taken. The last irrigation activities of the year were underway.  Winter wheat seeding was progressing in western counties, as was dry bean and millet harvests. There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 29 short, 61 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 26 short, 66 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 19 fair, 56 good, and 19 excellent.  Corn dough was at 96 percent, near 100 for both last year and the five-year average. Dented was at 86 percent, equal to last year, but behind 91 average. Mature was at 27 percent, equal to last year, and near 30 average.  Harvested was at 1 percent, near 0 last year and 5 average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 21 fair, 56 good, and 17 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was at 38 percent, ahead of 23 last year and 25 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 27 fair, 58 good, and 13 excellent. Sorghum coloring was at 86 percent, near 88 last year, and ahead of 81 average. Mature was at 12 percent, near 9 last year and 8 average.

Winter wheat planted was at 18 percent, behind 24 last year and 23 average. 

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 28 fair, 54 good, and 13 excellent.  Alfalfa fourth cutting was at 61 percent, well ahead of 39 last year, and ahead of 47 average. 

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 7 poor,27 fair, 54 good, and 9 excellent.Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 9 short, 87 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-09-14-2015.pdf.

Access the High Plains Region Climate Center for Temperature and Precipitation Maps at:
http://www.hprcc.unl.edu/maps.php?map=ACISClimateMaps.

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



IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION REPORT 

Widely varying amounts of precipitation were received at the beginning of the week, but drier conditions prevailed later in the week, allowing Iowa farmers 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending September 13, 2015, according the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included seed corn harvest, chopping silage, cutting hay, and isolated reports of corn for grain and soybean harvest. There were continued reports of disease pressure on corn.

Topsoil moisture levels fell slightly to 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 13 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 81 percent adequate and 13 percent surplus.

Eighty-eight percent of the corn crop was in the dent stage or beyond, with 26 percent mature, 4 days ahead of last year, but one week behind the 5-year average. Corn condition rated 80 percent good to excellent.

Sixty-two percent of soybeans were starting to turn color or beyond, while 18 percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 3 days ahead of 2014, but 2 days behind normal. Soybean condition rated 75 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 83 percent complete, 10 days ahead of last year, but a week behind the average. Pasture condition rated 66 percent good to excellent. Livestock were reported as having very little stress.



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

The past reporting week began with very warm and humid weather and frequent rainfall. Rain fell nearly statewide from Sunday (6th) evening into Monday (7th) morning with very heavy rainfall over portions of central and south central Iowa.  This was followed by another statewide rain event from Monday (7th) night into Tuesday (8th) morning with the heaviest rains concentrated over southwestern areas of the state. Wednesday (9th) and Thursday (10th) were not quite as warm.  Light rain fell over the northern one-third of Iowa and far western portions of the state from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning. Rain also fell nearly statewide on Thursday into Friday (11th) morning although amounts were mostly light excepting a few localized areas of around an inch of rain across the east. Dry and much cooler weather prevailed over the weekend. Rain totals for the week varied from 0.11 inches at Hampton and 0.14 inches at Castana (Monona Co.) to 6.35 inches at Bagley (Guthrie Co.), 5.53 inches at Lake Rathbun and 5.15 inches at Bedford. The statewide average precipitation was 1.38 inches while normal for the week is 0.82 inches. Daytime highs climbed into the eighties in many areas from Monday through Thursday with Burlington, Donnellson, Le Claire and Muscatine reporting the highest temperatures with 89 degree readings on Monday (7th). Meanwhile, temperatures fell to 37 degrees at Sheldon on Saturday (12th) morning and 38 degrees at Elkader, Manchester and Stanley on Sunday (13th) morning. Very cool late week weather just barely cancelled out the very warm start to the week with temperatures for the week as a whole averaging 0.4 degrees below normal.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

The nation's corn harvest was 5% complete as of Sept. 13, according to USDA's latest weekly Crop Progress and Conditions report. That's a bit behind the five-year average of 9%. Corn conditions held steady in the past week.

Soybean conditions fell to 61% good to excellent, compared to 63% last week. Thirty-five percent of the crop is dropping leaves, compared to 18% last week and a 31% five-year average.

Spring wheat is 97% harvested, compared to 94% last week and an 86% five-year average. Winter wheat planting is 9% complete, equal to the five-year average and up from 3% last week.

Sorghum is 83% coloring, 43% mature and 22% harvested; last week these numbers were 71%, 33% and 18%, respectively. The five-year averages are 75%, 39% and 26%. Sorghum conditions improved slightly.

Forty-six percent of the cotton crop has bolls opening, compared to 31% last week and the five-year average of 51%. Cotton is 4% harvested, compared to 6% last year and the average of 7%. Cotton condition worsened slightly.

Rice is 44% harvested, compared to 35% last week and a five-year average of 44%. Rice condition worsened modestly.