October 5 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending October 4, 2015, Nebraska experienced near normal temperatures, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Most of the State received up to an inch of rain. Producers were primarily engaged in harvest activities, although progress was impeded in some areas due to wet fields. There were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 26 short, 65 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 25 short, 68 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 19 fair, 54 good, and 20 excellent. Corn mature was at 82 percent, ahead of 75 last year, but equal to the five-year average. Harvested was at 15 percent, ahead of 10 last year, but near 24 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 25 fair, 57 good, and 17 excellent. Sorghum mature was at 77 percent, ahead of 68 last year and 71 average. Harvested was at 6 percent, near 5 last year, but behind 11 average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 20 fair, 56 good, and 18 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was at 89 percent, equal to both last year and the average. Harvested was at 31 percent, ahead of 15 last year, but near 35 average.

Winter wheat planted was at 84 percent, near 87 last year and 80 average. Emerged was at 48 percent, behind 61 last year, but near 46 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 29 fair, 54 good, and 12 excellent. Alfalfa fourth cutting was at 93 percent, ahead of 82 last year and 84 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 9 poor, 27 fair, 54 good, and 7 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-10-05-2015.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

Mostly dry conditions allowed Iowa farmers to harvest one-quarter of the State’s soybean crop during the week ending October 4, 2015, according the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Fieldwork activities for the week included cutting hay and harvesting soybeans and corn for grain. In some areas, farmers are waiting for their crops to dry down before harvesting. There were also reports of manure being spread.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 6 percent short, 86 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus.

Ninety percent of the corn crop was mature, 8 days ahead of last year, and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Thirteen percent of the corn crop for grain has been harvested, 10 days ahead of last year, but 8 days behind average. Moisture content of all corn being harvested was at 21 percent, down 3 percentage points from the previous week. Corn condition rated 80 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-seven percent of soybeans were turning color or beyond, while 86 percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, 2 days ahead of normal. Thirty-two percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, one week ahead of last year, but 1 day behind average. Soybean condition rated 77 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay is 96 percent complete, 3 days ahead last year but 8 days behind the average.

Pasture condition rated 65 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were described as excellent, with scattered reports of calves being weaned.



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

The past reporting week began with unseasonably high temperatures with afternoon maximums in the eighties over nearly all of Iowa on Monday (28th). A cold front moved across the state late Monday and into Tuesday and was followed by below normal temperatures for the remainder of the week. Daytime highs were mostly in the sixties from Wednesday (30th) through Saturday (3rd) with afternoon readings only in the fifties over much of eastern Iowa on Sunday (4th) owing to widespread cloud cover that day. Temperature extremes ranged from Monday afternoon highs of 86 degrees at Donnellson, Lamoni, Osceola, Perry and Sidney to morning lows of 32 degrees at Estherville on both Wednesday and Thursday. Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged 1.0 degrees below normal. Rain fell over all but a few far southeastern Iowa locations between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. This was the only rain event of the week. Greatest rain amounts, mostly in the one to two inch range, fell across the central one-third of the state from Monona and Harrison County east-northeastward to Clayton and Dubuque counties. The greatest rain total was a 2.73 inch amount north of Woodbine in Harrison County while no measurable rain fell at Centerville, Keosauqua and Albia. The statewide average precipitation was 0.57 inches while normal for the week is 0.70 inches. Soil temperatures at the four inch depth as of Sunday (4th) afternoon were averaging in the mid to upper fifties statewide. However, those readings are expected to climb this coming week with warmer weather on the way.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

The nation's corn harvest advanced to 27% complete as of Oct. 4, according to USDA's latest weekly Crop Progress and Conditions report. That's a bit behind the five-year average of 32%. Corn conditions held steady in the past week at 68%.

Soybeans are 42% harvested and 85% dropping leaves, compared to five-year averages of 32% and 83%. Soybean condition improved two percentage points to 64% good-to-excellent rating.

Winter wheat planting is 49% complete, compared to 31% last week and a 51% five-year average.

Seventy-seven percent of sorghum is mature and 43% is harvested, compared to 65% and 36% last week and five-year averages of 65% and 37%, respectively. Sorghum condition held steady.

Seventy-seven percent of the cotton crop has bolls opening, compared to 69% last week and the five-year average of 78%. Cotton is 16% harvested, compared to 11% last week and the average of 18%. Cotton condition worsened.

Rice is 78% harvested, compared to 69% last week and a five-year average of 71%.



Brazil Planting Edges Forward

Rapid progress in the southern state of Parana allowed Brazilian soybean planting to move forward to 3% complete as of Friday, Oct.2. This is about on a par with the same stage last year and the five-year average, said AgRural, a local farm consultancy.

Excellent rains over the last couple of weeks emboldened farmers in Parana to start fieldwork shortly after the planting window opened. As a result, planting was 16% complete in that state as of Friday, up from 10% last week and beating the 8% recorded at the same stage last year, said the consultancy.

Fieldwork remains slow in Mato Grosso, the No. 1 soybean state, where the early-season irregular rainfall so typical of El Nino years continues.

As of Friday, planting was 2% complete in Mato Grosso compared to 5% at the same point last year, said AgRural.

In Mato Grosso do Sul, soybean planting is 3% complete with the south receiving decent showers last week. In Goias, the planting window opened on Wednesday and 1% of fields were done as of Friday.

The good news for farmers in Mato Grosso and surrounding areas is that weather charts indicate more rain from Wednesday, with showers intensifying into next week, according to the Somar Meteorologia, a local weather service.

The arrival of a cold front in southern Brazil will cause heavy rain to fall across Parana from Wednesday, which may impede fieldwork but will be generally beneficial to the crop.