September 21 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending September 20, 2015, Nebraska experienced temperatures two to eight degrees above normal, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Most of the State received up to an inch of rain. The warm conditions helped boost crop maturity and facilitated the dry down process. Preparations for harvest were ongoing, with soybean and high moisture corn harvest underway in some areas. There were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 29 short, 60 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 27 short, 65 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 19 fair, 54 good, and 20 excellent. Corn dented was at 93 percent, equal to last year, and near 97 for the five-year average. Mature was at 47 percent, equal to last year, and near 48 average. Harvested was at 5 percent, near 3 last year and 9 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 25 fair, 58 good, and 16 excellent. Sorghum coloring was at 94 percent, near 93 last year and 90 average. Mature was at 35 percent, ahead of 23 last year and 22 average. Harvested was at 1 percent, equal to both last year and the average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 21 fair, 56 good, and 17 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was at 65 percent, ahead of 51 last year and 49 average. Harvested was at 3 percent, near 1 last year and 4 average.

Winter wheat planted was at 49 percent, near 52 last year and 46 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 28 fair, 54 good, and 13 excellent. Alfalfa fourth cutting was at 79 percent, ahead of 62 last year and 66 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor,27 fair, 53 good, and 9 excellent.Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 9 short, 88 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-09-21-2015.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 & CONDITION REPORT

A windy, warm, and mostly dry week aided crop maturity for the week ending September 20, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Fieldwork for the week included harvesting seed corn, chopping silage, cutting hay, and reports of scattered corn for grain and soybean harvest. Farmers were also preparing farm equipment for the upcoming harvest. Reports indicated seed corn harvest was wrapping up, and corn harvested for grain has had widely varying moisture content.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 86 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 82 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus.

Ninety-five percent of the corn crop was in the dent stage or beyond, with 49 percent mature, 5 days ahead of last year, but 5 days behind the 5-year average. Corn condition rated 79 percent good to excellent.

Eighty-three percent of soybeans were starting to turn color or beyond, while 48 percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 5 days ahead of 2014, and 2 days ahead of normal. Soybean condition rated 76 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 89 percent complete, 1 week ahead of last year, but a week behind the average. Pasture condition rated 67 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as good.



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

The past reporting week began with dry and unseasonably warm and windy weather. Daytime high temperatures were mostly in the eighties through Thursday (17th). There were a few scattered very light rain showers on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday but no accumulations of consequence. Rain was widespread on Thursday and Friday with rain totals of two inches or more common from southwest into east central Iowa. Dry weather returned for the weekend. Daytime highs cooled to the low sixties northwest to the mid-seventies southeast on Friday, were near 70 on Saturday and mostly mid-seventies on Sunday (20th). Temperature extremes varied from afternoon highs of 92 degrees at Burlington and Donnellson on Thursday to morning lows of 39 degrees at Sibley on Saturday (19th) and 38 degrees at Elkader on Sunday (20th). Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 4.7 degrees above normal. Rain totals varied from only 0.03 inches at Little Sioux to 4.22 inches at North English and 4.10 inches at Lost Nation. The statewide average precipitation was 1.18 inches while normal for the week is 0.77 inches. Finally, there were also several reports of hail Thursday evening across southeastern Iowa, roughly along a Davis to Scott County line.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress
Corn 10% Harvested; Soybeans 7%

The nation's corn harvest was 10% complete as of Sept. 20, according to USDA's latest weekly Crop Progress and Conditions report. That's a bit behind the five-year average of 15%. Corn conditions held steady in the past week, with sixty-eight percent of the corn crop remained rated good to excellent.

Soybeans are 7% harvested and 56% dropping leaves, compared to five-year averages of 7% and 50%.  Also, USDA increased the good-to-excellent rating from 61% to 63.

Winter wheat planting is 19% complete, compared to 9% last week and a 20% five-year average.

Sorghum is 90% coloring, 52% mature and 26% harvested; last week these numbers were 83%, 43% and 22%, respectively. The five-year averages are 83%, 45% and 28%. Sorghum conditions held about steady.

Fifty-seven percent of the cotton crop has bolls opening, compared to 46% last week and the five-year average of 61%. Cotton is 7% harvested, compared to 4% last week and the average of 9%. Cotton condition improved slightly.

Rice is 55% harvested, compared to 44% last week and a five-year average of 54%. Rice condition worsened.