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

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending September 3, 2017, temperatures averaged two to six degrees above normal across western Nebraska, but two to six degrees below normal in the east, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Precipitation was scattered and limited with rainfall of less than half an inch received in some northcentral and Panhandle counties. There were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 9 percent very short, 27 short, 63 adequate, and 1 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 10 percent very short, 30 short, 59 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 4 percent very poor, 9 poor, 24 fair, 45 good, and 18 excellent. Corn dough was 97 percent, equal to last year, and near 96 for the five-year average. Dented was 68 percent, behind 74 last year, and near 72 average. Mature was 10 percent, near 8 last year and 13 average.

Soybean condition rated 3 percent very poor, 7 poor, 26 fair, 51 good, and 13 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 8 percent, behind 15 last year, and near 11 average.

Winter wheat planted was 1 percent, near 4 last year and 3 average.

Sorghum condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 37 fair, 49 good, and 11 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 65 percent, well behind 87 last year, but ahead of 59 average. Mature was 6 percent, behind 11 last year, but near 3 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 4 percent very poor, 9 poor, 32 fair, 42 good, and 13 excellent. Alfalfa third cutting was 96 percent complete, equal to last year, and near 94 average. Fourth cutting was 38 percent, near 40 last year, but ahead of 32 average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 20 poor, 44 fair, 27 good, and 4 excellent. Stock water supplies rated 1 percent very short, 13 short, 86 adequate, and 0 surplus.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

It was a cool dry week in Iowa during the week ending September 3, 2017, according to USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included haying, hauling grain, chopping corn silage, seeding cover crops, and harvesting seed corn.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 13 percent very short, 27 percent short, 59 percent adequate and 1 percent surplus. According to the August 29, 2017 U.S. Drought Monitor, areas of south central and southeast Iowa have been in a severe drought for 5 consecutive weeks. Subsoil moisture levels rated 17 percent very short, 31 percent short, 52 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.

Ninety-four percent of the corn crop was in or beyond the dough stage, five days behind last year but three days ahead of the five-year average. Sixty percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage, eight days behind last year and three days behind average. Corn condition rated 62 percent good to excellent.

Eighteen percent of soybeans have started to turn color, five days behind last year and three days behind average. Soybean condition improved to 61 percent good to excellent. There were scattered reports of disease issues in soybeans such as sudden death syndrome.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay reached 91 percent complete, 8 days ahead of last year and over 2 weeks ahead of average.

Pasture condition rated 16 percent very poor, 23 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 24 percent good and 2 percent excellent. Cooler temperatures have been ideal for livestock; however, there were still reports of producers in south central and southeast Iowa feeding hay to cattle due to poor pasture conditions.



USDA Weekly Crop Progress

Corn condition continued to lag behind the average pace, and the condition of the crop fell slightly from the previous week, according to USDA's weekly Crop Progress report released Tuesday. The report was delayed a day due to the Labor Day holiday on Monday.

In this week's report, USDA estimated that 92% of corn had reached the dough stage as of Sunday, down from 95% a year ago, and down from the five-year average of 94%. Sixty percent of corn was dented, down from 74% a year ago and down from the five-year average of 68% dented. Twelve percent of corn was considered mature, down from 17% a year ago and down from the five-year average of 18% mature.  Corn condition also dropped slightly, from 62% good to excellent the previous week to 61% last week.

USDA estimated that 97% of soybeans are setting pods, even with a year ago and above the five-year average of 96%. Eleven percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, even with a year ago and below the five-year average of 12%.  Sixty-one percent of the soybean crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition last week, the same as the previous week, according to USDA.

This week's Crop Progress report also showed 89% of spring wheat was harvested as of Sunday, down from 90% a year ago, but above the five-year average of 78% harvested.

Sorghum was 62% coloring, behind the average of 64%, and mature was 31%, also behind the average of 34% mature. Sorghum harvested was 23%, near the average of 24%. Sorghum condition dropped to 63% good to excellent from 65% the previous week.

Barley was 92% harvested as of Sunday, ahead of the average pace of 84%. Oats were 91% harvested, behind the average of 94%.

Cotton was 96% setting bolls and 25% bolls opening compared to an average pace of 97% setting bolls and 30% bolls opening. Nationwide, cotton condition held steady at 65% good to excellent.

Rice was 29% harvested as of Sunday, near the average of 30% harvested.