July 2 Crop Progress and Condition Report

NE Crop Conditions Decline with Lack of Rain

Agricultural  Summary: 
For  the  week  ending  July  1,  2012,  triple  digit  temperatures  along  with  limited precipitation  depleted  soil  moisture  levels  and  caused  crop conditions  to  decline,  according  to  USDA’s  National Agricultural  Statistics  Service,  Nebraska  Field  Office.   Soil moisture levels are at 21 percent adequate or surplus compared to the 85 percent 5 year average.  One quarter of the corn crop is in pollination stage while one quarter of the soybean crop is blooming, both 11 days ahead of average.   Wheat harvest was 3  weeks  ahead  of  average  at  69  percent,  while  oat  harvest made  significant  gains  at  60  percent  complete.    Producers were  busy  providing  water  with  near  half  of  the  state’s cropland  irrigated.    As  pasture  conditions  declined,  western producers  were  supplemental  feeding  livestock  and considering culling options.   

Weather Summary: 
Temperatures  ranged  from  3  degrees above  normal  in  the  Northeast  District  to  9  degrees  above normal  in  the  Panhandle  and  Southwest  Districts.    Highs reached  triple digits across  the  state,  and  lows were  recorded in  the  mid  50’s.   Isolated  pockets  received  measureable rainfall;  however,  most  of  the  state  saw  little  to  no precipitation.  The Panhandle has averaged a little over 1 inch of rainfall per month since April 1.  Topsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  29, Short   50, Adequate  21, Surplus   0.  Subsoil Moisture (%):  Very Short  25, Short  54, Adequate  21, Surplus    0.  GDD since April 15 (normal):  Concord  1277  (1185),  Elgin 1237  (1158),  West Point 1306  (1227 ), Mead 1396  (1264 ).  Rainfall inches by district since April 1 (% of normal):  NE  9.42 (87%),  EC 10.57  (94%),  SE 10.02  (88%). 

Field Crops Report:
Corn silked was 25 percent, compared to 0  last year and 2 average.  Corn conditions rated 4 percent very  poor,  11  poor,  29  fair,  48  good,  and  8  excellent,  well below last year’s 83 percent good to excellent and 80 average.  Irrigated  corn  conditions  rated  70  percent  good  to  excellent and dryland corn rated 35.  Much of the dryland corn acreage in the western two-thirds of the state rated poor or very poor.

Soybeans blooming were 25 percent, ahead of 7  last year and 9  average.   Soybean  conditions  rated  3  percent  very  poor,  13  poor,  39  fair,  42  good,  and  3  excellent,  well  below  last year’s 81 percent good to excellent and 79 average.

Sorghum  conditions  rated  3  percent  very  poor,  15  poor,  47  fair,  34  good,  and  1  excellent,  well  below  last  year’s  81 percent good to excellent and 76 average.

Wheat  ripe  was  88  percent,  compared  to  16  last  year  and  23  average.   Wheat  harvested  was  69  percent,  compared  to  1  last  year  and  21  days  ahead  of  5  average.    Most  of  the unharvested fields were in the Panhandle.

Oats  harvested was  60  percent,  compared  to  0  last  year  and  1 average.  Oats conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 13 poor, 42 fair, 44 good, and 0 excellent, well below 85 percent good to excellent last year and 84 average.

The  second  cutting  of  alfalfa was  83  percent  complete, well ahead  of  15  last  year  and  18  average.    The  third  cutting  of alfalfa was 4 percent complete.  Alfalfa rated 14 percent very poor,  26  poor,  35  fair,  24  good,  and 1  excellent, well  below  85 percent good to excellent last year and 77 average.    Wild  hay  harvest was  43  percent  complete,  ahead  of  27  last year and 11 average.  Wild hay conditions rated 8 percent very poor,  17  poor,  43  fair,  32  good,  and  0  excellent, well  below last year’s 75 percent good to excellent.
 
Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and  range conditions  rated  20  percent  very  poor,  32  poor,  33  fair,  15  good,  and  0  excellent,  well  below  81  percent  good  to excellent last year and 79 average.  



Current Weather & Crops County Comments
Survey Date: 07/01/2012

BOONE
In some parts of the county dry land crops still look good because of good subsoil moisture. In other parts of the county they look pretty bad because they missed most of the rains. Pastures in all areas are pretty burned up.

DIXON
Crop conditions have deteriorated some over the week with very high temperatures and windy conditions. Rain is in the forecast and needed.

DODGE
Pastures are almost gone and supplemental feeding is being done. The alfalfa that has been cut and put up is good because it was not rained on. It just needs some rain now to help the regrowth. Dry land is hanging on but in light soils it is showing stress. Pastures are very short.

DODGE
We could use some rain!

DOUGLAS
It is time for more rain.

The third cutting of alfalfa will not come until after significant rain. Many second cutting fields were clipped purple with no harvest and after the rain the same thing is likely again.

KNOX
Isolated showers were received. Irrigation is in full swing. Crops still look OK on heavier soils.

LANCASTER
Most corn is pollinating now. Most Soybeans are blooming.

NEMAHA
Conditions deteriorated this last week as temperatures remained very hot with no rainfall. Corn is tasseling, so this heat and dry weather could have a large impact on crop yields in the region this year. Pastures are very short and so is hay. There will be no further alfalfa production unless we receive some precipitation.

SALINE
Hot and Dry.

SAUNDERS
The continued stress on the corn crop due to extreme heat and lack of moisture could pose problems as we move into the pollination phase.



Click the link for the latest national crop progress and condition numbers... http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-07-02-2012.txt.  



All Iowa Crops Show Condition Declines This Week 

Although  Iowa  saw precipitation early and again  late  in  the week,  the bulk  of  the  week  was  sunny  and  hot  with  record  high  temperatures experienced in many areas. Additional rain is needed to relieve stress on crops and improve conditions. 

There  were  6.0  days  suitable  for  fieldwork  statewide  during  the  past week.  Topsoil  moisture  levels  declined  to  28 percent  very  short, 45 percent  short,  27 percent  adequate,  and  0 percent  surplus.  South Central  Iowa  is  the driest with 91 percent of  the  topsoil moisture rated short  to very short. Subsoil moisture dropped  to 24 percent very  short, 49 percent short, 27 percent adequate, and 0 percent surplus. 

Crop conditions declined for all crops this week. Sixteen percent of the corn crop is silking, nearly two weeks ahead of normal.  Corn condition is  reported  at  2 percent  very  poor,  8 percent  poor,  28 percent  fair, 49 percent  good,  and  13 percent  excellent. 

Twenty-six percent  of  the soybean crop  is blooming, ahead of  last year’s 10 percent and  the five-year  average  of  15 percent. Soybean  condition  is  rated  3 percent  very poor,  9 percent  poor,  29 percent  fair,  49 percent  good,  and  10 percent excellent. 

Sixty-eight percent  of  the  oat  crop  has  turned  color,  well ahead of  last year’s 15 percent and the five-year average of 24 percent. Twenty percent of the oat crop has been harvested, two weeks ahead of normal.  Oat  condition  is  rated  2 percent  very  poor,  13 percent  poor, 32 percent  fair,  47 percent  good,  and  6 percent  excellent. 

The  second cutting  of  alfalfa  hay,  at  76 percent  complete,  is  almost  three  weeks ahead of normal. Hay condition is rated 5 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 38 percent good, and 5 percent excellent.

Just over one quarter of Iowa’s pasture and range  land  is rated in good to  excellent  condition,  the  lowest  since  the  week  ending  August 13, 2006.  Pasture  and  range  condition  rated  9 percent  very  poor, 25 percent  poor,  39 percent  fair,  24 percent  good,  and  3 percent excellent.    Hot  and  humid  conditions  during  the  week  were uncomfortable for livestock.



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

The past reporting week began with dry weather on Monday (25th) and Tuesday (26th) but with a welcome break from the heat as daytime highs were mostly  in  the 80s.   Much warmer weather made a rapid return on Wednesday  (27th)  and  continued  through  the  rest of  the period.   High temperatures  were  mostly  in  the  90s  on  Wednesday,  Thursday  and Sunday  with  80s  north  and  90s  south  on  Friday  and  Saturday.    Dry weather  continued  through  Wednesday  and  Thursday  with thunderstorms bringing rainfall  to west central, central and east central Iowa on Friday.  Friday’s rain was very welcome but was accompanied by  hail  and  widespread  severe  winds  from  about  Des  Moines  east-northeastward  to  Anamosa.    Finally,  a  few  scattered  thunderstorms brought locally heavy rain to parts of southeast Iowa on Saturday night into Sunday morning.   Rain  totals  for  the week varied  from none over most  of  the  northern  one-third  of  the  state,  as well  as  portions  of  far southern  Iowa,  to  4.17  inches  at  Oakville  in  Louisa  County.    The statewide average rainfall was 0.25 inches while normal for the week is 1.15  inches.    Temperatures  varied  from  a  Tuesday  morning  low  of 43 degrees at Belle Plaine to a Thursday afternoon high of 104 degrees at  Keokuk.    Triple  digit  heat  was  also  reported  in  a  few  areas  on Wednesday  (101  at Des Moines,  Little  Sioux  and  Sioux  Center)  and Friday (102 at Keokuk and Keosauqua).  Temperatures for the week as a whole averaged  from 1  to 2 degrees above normal  in  the  far east  to 6 to  7  degrees  above  normal  over  the  southwest  with  a  statewide average of 4.3 degrees above normal.