April 17 Crop Progress and Condition Report (a day late)

NE Farmers Hold Off Field Activity for Some Welcome Rain

Agricultural  Summary: 
For  the  week  ending  April  15,  2012,  strong  storms  late  in  the  week delayed  field  activities  but  increased  soil moisture levels,  according  to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics  Service,  Nebraska  Field  Office.   High winds,  tornados and hail damaged property  in parts of  the  state.    However,  the  general  rain  was welcome  and  should  aid  germination  of  spring planted  crops.    Corn  planting made  little  progress during  the 4.6 days suitable for fieldwork.  Seeding of oats was  three-fourths  completed with one  third of  the  crop  emerged.   Wheat  jointed  at  38  percent was  two  and  half weeks  ahead  of  average  creating concern  for  potential  freeze  damage.  Soil temperatures  cooled  and  ranged  from  the  low  50’s in the west to mid 50’s in the east.   Cattle and calves were  in mostly  good  to  excellent  condition.  Spring  calving was  88  percent  complete with  calf losses below average.  

Weather  Summary:   
In  general,  temperatures averaged  one  degree  below  normal  across  the northern  half  of  the  state,  and  1  degree  above normal  across  the  south.  Highs  reached  the  upper 70’s and lows fell to the mid 20’s in the Panhandle.  An  inch  or  more  of  precipitation  was  common across  the  eastern  two-thirds  of  the  state with  two inches  or more  reported  in  portions  of  eastern  and central Nebraska.  Amounts were generally less than .5 inch in the Panhandle with some snow reported.  Topsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  7, Short   21, Adequate  67, Surplus 5;   Subsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  9, Short  34, Adequate  56, Surplus 1.  

Field Crops Report:
Corn was  4  percent  planted, ahead of 2 last year and 1 average.

Wheat  jointed  was  38  percent,  well  ahead  of  5 percent last year and 6 average.  Wheat conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 5 poor, 32 fair, 54 good, and  9  excellent, well  above  last  year’s  41  percent good to excellent and 56 average.  

Oats  planted  were  at  77  percent,  well  ahead  of  52  last year and one and half weeks of 48 average.  Oats  emerged was 35 percent, well ahead of 5  last year and 10 average.

Alfalfa conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 7 poor, 28 fair, 50 good, and 15 excellent, below last year’s 71  percent  good  to  excellent  but  near  66  average.  Concerns were  expressed  about  insect  levels.  The first fields of alfalfa were cut.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Cattle and calf  condition  rated  0  percent  very  poor,  0  poor,  5  fair,  75  good,  and  20  excellent.    Spring  calving was  88  percent  complete.    Calf  losses  rated  34 percent below average, 66 average, and 0 above average.   Pasture  and  range  conditions  rated  1  percent  very  poor,  8  poor,  41  fair,  45  good,  and  5 excellent.



Current Weather & Crops County Comments
Survey Date: 04/15/2012

BOONE
Several strips of hail and heavy rains across Boone County on Saturday caused lots of damage to home windows, siding, roofs and farm outbuildings. A small amount of alfalfa received some hail damage.

BUTLER
A few isolated corn fields can be rowed at this time. Rains over the past week and weekend were very beneficial (2.5+ inches in many areas) as pasture grass/grass hay had very little growth the past 2 weeks. Weeds are very prevalent in many unplanted fields, which will require herbicide treatments and/or tillage prior to planting. Alfalfa weevils larvae are building in numbers, with range of 0.6-2.2/sweep noted on April 16. Alfalfa in lower parts of fields and along draws (even in upper parts of fields) noted to be yellowing from a distance. Closer examination notes a previously unseen interveinal chlorosis of upper leaflets; cause unknown at this time but is not thought to be frost damage. Several alfalfa hay fields approaching bloom (occasional plant with flower noted) and first cutting expected to commence before April is complete. Some alfalfa has been planted and other fields are prepared.

CEDAR
Received some frost, which affected the alfalfa some. Small amount of small hail received in some areas, which didn't cause any damage.

DIXON
Both counties had rain over the week from 1/2 inch up to 2+ inches in some parts of Dakota County. Planting will be at full throttle when field conditions allow.

DIXON
Nearly all fields have been tilled because of dry weather last fall and this spring. What little moisture that was left in the topsoil is now gone. Finally some rain this week but not nearly enough to replace depletion of last fall and this spring.

DODGE
A little more corn was planted earlier this week and field preparation were the main activities. We did get some moisture later in the week (.1-1/2 inch) but it was very spotty throughout the County. Pasture growth is slow due to lack of moisture.

DOUGLAS
Heavy rains Saturday afternoon and night from 3-4 inches replenished top soil moisture but caused some erosion on hillsides.

KNOX
Welcome rain was received over the weekend. Anywhere from 1.25 - 3.2" was reported. This will give everyone more optimism for spring planting. Some alfalfa got set back by the frost but most looks pretty good. Recent rain will really help pastures as they were stalled due to hot and dry conditions.

OTOE
Heavy rains, strong winds and tornados affected parts of the county on Saturday night. Conservation structures held well, but buildings and trees were destroyed due to winds and tornados.

SARPY
Heavy rains Saturday afternoon and night from 3-4 inches replenished top soil moisture but caused some erosion on hillsides.



Click here for the latest national progress numbers....  http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-04-17-2012.txt. 



Storms, Freeze Affect Crop Progress in Iowa 

Severe thunderstorms and tornadoes struck the state on Saturday, April 14. Farmers  fear hay  growth was  affected during  the  early part  of  the week after most of the state received a hard freeze.  There were 4.5 days  suitable  for  fieldwork during  the past week. The widespread rain improved moisture levels throughout the state.  Topsoil moisture  levels  improved  to  6 percent  very  short,  21 percent  short, 66 percent  adequate,  and  7 percent  surplus.  Subsoil  moisture  also improved  and  is  now  rated  14 percent  very  short,  31 percent  short, 53 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. 

Farmers were able to get some corn planted before  this week’s storms. Five percent  of  Iowa’s  corn  acreage  has  been  planted  compared with 1 percent  at  this  time  last  year  and  the  five  year  average of 3 percent. Oat  acreage  planted  was  87  percent  complete,  ahead  of  last  year’s 57 percent  and  five-year  average of 40 percent.   Forty-five percent of the oat acreage has emerged which is 9 days ahead of normal. 

Pasture and  range condition  rated 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 19 percent  fair,  54 percent  good,  and  22  percent  excellent.  Just  over three-quarters  of  Iowa’s  pasture  and  range  land  is  now  rated  good  to excellent, an 8 percentage point increase from the previous week. 
 

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

It was a very eventful week across  Iowa.   A  freeze was  recorded over portions of northern  Iowa on Monday  (9th) morning with  temperatures falling as low as 25 degree s at Spencer.  Much colder weather prevailed on Tuesday  (10th)  and Wednesday  (11th) mornings.   All but  a  few  far  southern  Iowa  locations  recorded a  freeze on Tuesday morning with a hard  freeze  over  much  of  the  state.    Sibley  reported  the  lowest temperature  on  Tuesday  at  16 degrees.    Unfortunately  it  was  a  little colder  yet  on Wednesday morning  with  all  reporting  points  with  the exception of a few locations right on  the Mississippi River recording a freeze.  Sibley was again the cold spot at 15 degrees.  Finally, much of the northeast one-half of  the state endured another  freeze on Thursday (12th) morning, however, temperatures were not as low as seen earlier in the  week.    Much  warmer  weather  returned  for  the  weekend  with temperatures well above normal on Saturday  (14th) and Sunday  (15th).  Waterloo  reported  the  highest  temperature  reaching  77 degree  s  on Sunday.   Temperatures  for  the week  as  a whole  averaged  1.4 degrees above normal.  Much needed rain fell statewide late in the week but was accompanied  by  severe  weather  over  much  of  southern  Iowa  on Saturday  evening.   Showers  and  thunderstorms brought  rain  statewide from  Thursday  evening  to midday  on  Friday with  a  few  areas  in  the southwest seeing over one inch.  Much heavier rain fell on Saturday and Saturday night with  two  to  three  inch amounts common over much of southwestern and central Iowa.  Very intense rain fell with the Saturday storms  in some areas.   Showers and  thunderstorms were also scattered across  Iowa  on  Sunday  but  amounts were mostly  light.   Weekly  rain totals varied from 0.61 inch at Fairfield to 6.59 inches at Red Oak.  The statewide  average  precipitation was  1.99  inches,  or more  than  double the weekly normal of 0.80  inch.   This was  Iowa’s wettest week  since late  June  2011.    Severe  storms were  reported  from  26  southern  Iowa counties on Saturday with hail, high winds, brief  torrential  rains and a few tornadoes reported.  The worst damage was reported from Thurman and  Creston  from  tornadoes  rated  as  EF-2  intensity.    Finally,  soil temperatures  as  of  Sunday  (15th)  were  averaging  in  the  upper  50s statewide.