June 18 Crop Progress and Conditions

Rains in S.E. NE Provides Some Relief to Crops
Dryness Persists in other Areas of the State

Agricultural  Summary: 
For  the  week  ending  June 17, 2012, above normal  temperatures coupled with  little or  no  precipitation  across  northern  and  western  areas continued  to  stress  crops  and pastures,  according  to USDA’s National  Agricultural  Statistics  Service,  Nebraska  Field Office.  However,  rain  across  the  southeastern quarter of  the state brought some relief to that area.  Wheat harvest continues in  southeastern  counties  and  has  spread westward  across  the southern  tier  of  counties.   Irrigation  was  active.    Crop development  is  ahead  of  normal,  requiring more water  to  be applied  at  this  time  of  year.   Alfalfa  and  pastures  were showing little growth in many areas.   
 
Weather  Summary:  
Temperatures  averaged  2  degrees below normal in the Northeast and East Central Districts while other areas averaged 2 degrees above normal.   Highs reached triple digits in portions of the west and mainly 90’s elsewhere.  Lows were  in  the mid  to upper 40’s.  Significant amounts of rain  fell  in  the  South  Central,  East  Central,  and  Southeast Districts with many  areas  receiving  1-3  inches.    Little  to  no precipitation was  recorded  across  the  remaining  areas  of  the state.  Topsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  17,    Short   46,    Adequate  36,  Surplus   1.  Subsoil Moisture:  Very Short  17, Short  48, Adequate  35, Surplus  0.  GDD since April 15 (vs. normal)"  Concord 932  (852),  Elgin 896  (832),  West Point 957  (884),  Mead 1030  (914).  Rainfall in inches since April 1 (% of normal):  NE - 8.49 (96%),  EC 9.34 - (101%),  SE - 8.29 (88%). 

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and  range conditions rated 7 percent very poor, 23 poor, 39 fair, 31 good, and 0 excellent, well below 82 percent good  to excellent  last year and 80 average.  Panhandle  conditions rated very poor to poor  in most  reporting  counties.   Culling has begun  in  some areas due to poor pastures.
 
Field Crops Report:
Corn conditions rated 7 percent   poor,  31 fair, 55 good, and 7 excellent, below last year’s 75 percent good to excellent and 78 average.

Soybeans blooming were 4 percent.  Soybean conditions rated 8 percent poor,  31  fair,  55 good,  and 6  excellent, below  last year’s 77 percent good to excellent and 78 average.

Sorghum  emerged was 92 percent,  ahead of 78  last year  and 74  average.   Sorghum  conditions  rated  1  percent  very  poor,  5  poor,  34  fair,  59  good,  and  1  excellent,  below  last  year’s    81  percent good to excellent and 74 average.

Oats  headed was  87  percent, well  ahead  of  58  last  year  and  16 days ahead of 62 average.   Oats conditions rated 1 percent very  poor,  5  poor,  32  fair,  58  good,  and  4  excellent,  below  87 percent good to excellent last year and 85 average. 

Wheat  turning  color  reached  93  percent,  well  ahead  of  23 last year and 18 days ahead of 32 average. Wheat ripe was 38  percent,  compared  to  0  last  year  and  average.    Wheat harvested  was  11  percent,  compared  to  0  last  year  and average.  Wheat conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 16 poor, 42 fair, 36 good, and 2 excellent, well below 58 percent good to excellent last year and 65 average.  

The  first  cutting  of  alfalfa  was  96  percent  complete,  well ahead  of  76  last  year  and  14  days  ahead  of  71  average. The second  cutting  of  alfalfa  was  36  percent  complete  with  re-growth slow in most areas.  Alfalfa rated 4 percent very poor, 16  poor,  41  fair,  36  good,  and  3  excellent,  well  below  82 percent good to excellent last year and 74 average.    Wild  hay  harvest  was  29  percent  complete.    Wild  hay conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 13 poor, 28 fair, 56 good, and 0 excellent, below last year’s 75 percent good to excellent.



Current Weather & Crops County Comments
Survey Date: 06/17/2012

BOONE
While other areas received rainfall, Boone county didn't. Still very dry. Most pivots are running.

DIXON
Timely rains will be needed to maintain favorable crop conditions. Parts of Dixon Co. are beginning to show signs of crop stress.

DODGE
Crops are showing signs of stress and more irrigation was being done this week. A lot of alfalfa was put up the first part of the week. Yields were down 1/2 to what the first cutting was and those who cut fields Wednesday got rained on Thursday evening and Friday lowering the quality. Pastures remain short even with rains on Thursday night and Friday. They are heavily overgrazed and it will take a lot to recover. The county received around .75" average and more is needed for the top soil to recover.

DODGE
Second cutting of alfalfa was below average. Much of the second cutting was harvested earlier this week and had not been baled before it started raining on Thursday evening.

GAGE
Our rains this week bought us some time but not a crop. Pasture recovery on cool season pastures won't help much. Some relief for warm season pastures and water sources. It is a blessing.

GAGE
Rainfall totals for the county ranged from 1.75 inches to 4.0 inches. It brought some much needed relief to the stressed corn and pastures.

KNOX
Very isolated showers were received. The remainder of the county remains very dry. Pastures are deteriorating very quickly. Irrigation has started and will continue in full swing this week.

NEMAHA
Prolonged high temperatures and high winds have dried out the pastures and ranchers are beginning to feed hay to livestock on pasture that is in poor condition. Prior to the recent rain, crops were showing signs of stress due to drought.

NEMAHA
Rain last week in the county improved growing conditions for corn and soybeans. There is now a chance to have a crop of corn and soybeans. Wheat harvest is almost complete. Yields respectable. Alfalfa should grow back some with the rain. Pastures are very short on forage and very dry. Farmers will need other forage sources soon. Rain should help with some regrowth if pastures have a chance to rest and recover.



For the latest national progess numbers, please click the following link...  http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-06-18-2012.txt.  



Rainfall Varies Across Iowa

Rainfall amounts varied widely across the state this week, with most of the week’s heaviest precipitation occurring in the southern half of the  state.  Corn  conditions  improved  slightly  for  the  week. Conditions  for  all  other  crops  declined  during  the week,  with  the largest decreases in the northern third of the state.   

There  were  5.4  days  suitable  for  fieldwork  during  the  week, compared with 6.7 days the previous week. Southwest Iowa was the only  area with  less  than  four  days  suitable  for  fieldwork.  Topsoil moisture levels improved to 14 percent very short, 40 percent short, 45 percent  adequate,  and  1 percent  surplus.  Subsoil  moisture declined slightly and is now rated 18 percent very short, 43 percent short, 38 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.

Corn  has  started  to  silk  across  much  of  the  state  with  Southeast Iowa leading with 2 percent. Corn condition is reported at 2 percent very  poor,  6 percent  poor,  25 percent  fair,  51 percent  good,  and 16 percent  excellent.

Ninety-eight percent  of  the  soybean  crop  has emerged, almost one week ahead of normal.  Soybeans have started to  bloom  in  each  district  of  the  state.  Soybean  condition  is  rated 2 percent  very  poor,  9 percent  poor,  28 percent  fair,  50 percent good, and 11 percent excellent.

Ninety-five percent of  the oat crop has  headed,  3  weeks  ahead  of  normal.  Oat  condition  is  rated 2 percent  very  poor,  6 percent  poor,  31 percent  fair,  53 percent good, and 8 percent excellent.

The second cutting of alfalfa hay, at 27 percent  complete,  is  almost  three weeks  ahead  of  normal. Hay condition  is  rated  4 percent  very  poor,  11 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. 

For  the  second  straight week,  less  than half of  Iowa’s pasture  and range land is rated in good to excellent condition. Pasture and range condition rated 6 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 36 percent  good,  and  4 percent  excellent.  Stress  on  livestock was minimal with no issues reported for this week. 



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

The  past  reporting  week  brought  seasonal  temperatures  and welcome rainfall to Iowa.   There were four episodes of widespread rainfall with  the  first  coming  on  Sunday  (10th)  night  into Monday (11th) with rain falling over all but extreme northwest Iowa with one to  three  inch  totals  over  parts  of  southwestern  Iowa.    The  second event on Thursday (14th) evening brought rain to the northwest one-half  of  the  state  with  heaviest  rains  of  one  to  two  inches  again coming  over  southwest  Iowa.    The  next  event  from  Friday  (15th) into Saturday morning brought rain to all but the extreme northwest and  northeast  corners  of  Iowa with  greatest  amounts  over  central Iowa.    Finally,  rain  fell  across  the  southeast  one-half  of  Iowa  on Saturday (16th) with amounts of one to two inches near the Missouri border.   Rain  totals  for  the week  varied  from  only  0.15  inches  at Sibley  to  5.17  inches  at  Red  Oak.    The  statewide  average precipitation  was  1.50  inches  while  normal  for  the  week  is 1.19 inches.    Temperatures  averaged  slightly  above  normal  on Monday  (11th)  with  much  cooler  weather  on  Tuesday  (12th)  and Wednesday  (13th) when high  temperatures were mostly  in  the 70s.  The  remainder  of  the  week  saw  slowly  rising  temperatures  and humidity with highs mostly in the 80s with a few 90s.  Temperature extremes  varied  from  a  Tuesday  morning  low  of  41  degrees  at Sibley  to a Thursday  afternoon high of 94 degrees at Little Sioux.  Temperatures  for  the week as a whole averaged 0.4 degrees above normal.    Finally,  there were  some  reports  of  high winds  and  hail across the northwest quarter of Iowa on Thursday and mainly across far southern Iowa on Saturday.