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

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
For the week ending September 6, 2015, above average temperatures and generally dry conditions were experienced throughout Nebraska, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures averaged up to ten degrees above normal, causing some livestock and dryland crop stress in areas where there was minimal rainfall. Fieldwork activities included cutting silage and winding down irrigation. There were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated8 percent very short, 30 short, 59 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 25 short, 67 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 18 fair, 57 good, and 19 excellent. Corn dough was at 94 percent, near 97 last year and the five-year average of 98. Dented was at 75 percent, near 73 last year and 79 average. Mature was at 12 percent, near 14 last year and 16 average. 

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 26 fair, 58 good, and 14 excellent.  Sorghum coloring wasat 70 percent, behind 81 last year, but near 66 average. Mature was at 3 percent, equal to last year, and near 2 average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 21 fair, 56 good, and 17 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was at 21 percent, ahead of 9 for both last year and average.

Winter wheat planted was at 2 percent, behind 10 last year and 9 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 29 fair, 53 good, and 13 excellent. Alfalfa third cutting was at 97 percent, near 94 last year and 93 average. Fourth cutting was at 41 percent, ahead of 32 last year and 30 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 6 poor, 26 fair, 54 good, and 11 excellent.  Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 8 short, 88 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-09-08-2015.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

Iowa farmers took advantage of the 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork to finish oat harvest, chop corn silage, and start seed corn harvest during the week ending September 6, 2015, though scattered but heavy showers kept some fields too wet to work, according the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Corn for grain continues to mature. There were some reports of pressure on corn from disease.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 16 percent surplus, unchanged from last week. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 7 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus. Heavier rains in central Iowa resulted in 36 percent surplus moisture.

Seventy-six percent of the corn crop was in the dent stage or beyond, with 10 percent mature, 3 days ahead of last year, but 9 days behind the 5-year average. Corn condition rated 79 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-seven percent of soybeans were setting pods or beyond, while 33 percent of soybeans were turning color, 3 days ahead of 2014, but 1 day behind normal. Five percent of soybeans have begun dropping leaves. Soybean condition rated 76 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay is 76 percent complete, 12 days ahead of last year, but 5 days behind average. Pasture condition rated 64 percent good to excellent. Hot days resulted in heat stress for some livestock.



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

It was an unseasonably warm and dry week across Iowa. The reporting week began with temperatures slightly above normal on Sunday (30th) and Monday (31st) but was very warm and humid for the remainder of the week. Daytime highs were mostly in the mid to upper eighties across northern Iowa and in the low- to mid-nineties across the south. Temperature extremes varied from Sunday (6th) afternoon highs of 96 degrees at Glenwood and Sidney to a Monday (31st) morning low of 55 degrees at Maquoketa. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 10.0 degrees above normal, making this the warmest week of the year. Most of the week’s rain fell from southwest to north central Iowa on Tuesday (1st) night into Wednesday (2nd) morning with just a few southwest Iowa locations receiving over an inch of rain. Bedford reported the most rain with 1.44 inches while much of the northwest and southeast corners of the state recorded no measurable rain. The statewide average precipitation was 0.16 inches while normal for the week is 0.84 inches. This was the driest week in 18 weeks (late April/early May). Locally heavy rain fell Sunday (6th) evening and Sunday night, particularly across central and south central Iowa, but fell too late to be reflected in this week’s crop statistics.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

Corn condition ratings held steady in the week ended Sep. 06, but maturity of the crop is lagging behind the five-year average, according to USDA's latest Crop Progress report.

Corn was rated 68% in good to excellent condition nationwide. Twenty percent of the crop is considered mature, compared to 9% last week and a 26% five-year average.

The soybean crop also held steady with last week at 63% good to excellent. Eighteen percent of the crop is dropping leaves, compared to 9% last week and a 16% five-year average.

Spring wheat is 94% harvested, compared to 88% last week and a 76% five-year average. Spring wheat conditions are no longer reported. "Tuesday's report is neutral-to-bearish for spring wheat due to this year's rapid harvest progress," Hultman said.

Winter wheat planting is 3% complete, equal to last year and the five-year average. "Colorado led early planting efforts at 13% planted," Hultman pointed out.

Sorghum is 71% coloring, 33% mature and 18% harvested; last week these numbers were 58%, 29% and 15%, respectively. The five-year averages are 65%, 34% and 24%. Sorghum conditions were steady.

Barley is 95% harvested, compared to 93% last week and an 82% five-year average.

Ninety-five percent of the cotton crop is setting bolls and 31% has bolls opening, compared to 94% and 22% last week and five-year averages of 100% and 38%. Cotton condition worsened slightly.

Rice is 35% harvested, compared to 26% last week and a five-year average of 34%. Rice condition worsened slightly.