July 23 Crop Progress and Condition Report

NE Grain Corn Now Becomes Forage
Irrigators applying a full season's worth of water so far

Agricultural Summary:
For the week ending July 22, 2012, ongoing  drought  conditions  coupled  with  above  normal temperatures  continued  to  take  a  toll  on  dryland  crops, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska  Field  Office.   With  pastures  and  forage  supplies short,  corn acres have begun being chopped  for  silage or  cut for hay.  Irrigators were struggling with water demands and in some  cases  more  water  has  been  used  to  date  than  a  full season  would  require.    One  fourth  of  the  corn  crop  was  in dough  stage or beyond with  some concern over  insect  levels.   Over one quarter of  the soybean crop has begun setting pods.  Wheat  harvest  was  virtually  completed.    CRP  acres  were being  released  for emergency  forage use bringing some  relief to  livestock  producers.  However,  selling  of  livestock continues.      
 
Weather Summary: 
Temperatures increased from last week and ranged from 8 degrees above normal in the North Central District to 5 degrees above normal across the remainder of the state.   Highs  reached  triple digits  in  all areas of  the  state and lows were recorded in the upper 50’s.  Areas across the North Central  and  Central  Districts  received  measureable  rainfall with  a  few  locations  accumulating over one  inch.   However, much of the state saw little to no precipitation.   Topsoil Moisture (%): Very Short  61, Short   34, Adequate  5, Surplus 0.  Subsoil Moisture:  Very Short  55, Short  38, Adequate  7, Surplus 0.  GDD since April 15th (vs. normal):  Concord 1827 (1724),  Elgin 1772  (1685),  West Point 1852  (1777 ),  Mead 1952  (1823).  Rainfall inches since April 1 (% of normal):  NE 9.42 (72%);  EC 10.57 (79%);  SE 10.73 (78%). 
 
Field Crops Report:
Corn silked was 88 percent, compared to 62 last year and over one week ahead of 66 average.  Corn in the dough stage was 25 percent, compared to 5 last year and average.   Corn  in  the dent  stage was 2 percent,  compared  to  0  last  year  and  average.   Corn  conditions  declined  and  rated  14  percent  very  poor,  19  poor,  30  fair,  32  good,  and  5 excellent, well below last year’s 80 percent good to excellent and  79  average.   Irrigated  corn  conditions  rated  57  percent good to excellent and dryland corn rated 9.  

Soybeans blooming were 82 percent, ahead of 58 last year and  12  days  ahead  of  61  average.   Soybeans  setting  pods  was  27  percent,  ahead  of  14  last  year  and  16  average.    Soybean conditions  declined  and  rated 10 percent very poor,  22 poor, 40  fair,  26  good,  and  2  excellent,  well  below  last  year’s  78 percent good to excellent and 77 average.

Sorghum  headed  was  19  percent,  ahead  of  7  last  year  and  6  average.    Sorghum  conditions  rated  11  percent  very  poor,  20  poor,  42  fair,  26  good,  and  1  excellent,  well  below  last year’s 81 percent good to excellent and 77 average.

The  second  cutting  of  alfalfa was  93  percent  complete, well ahead  of  71  last  year  and  75  average.    The  third  cutting  of alfalfa was  46 percent  complete  compared  to  2  last year  and  3  average.     Alfalfa  conditions declined and  rated 33 percent very  poor,  30  poor,  23  fair,  13  good,  and  1  excellent,  well below 83 percent good to excellent last year and 74 average.  

Oats harvested was 94 percent, compared  to 61  last year and  49 average.  

Wild  hay  harvest was  84  percent  complete,  ahead  of  69  last year and 32 average.  

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and  range conditions  rated  37  percent  very  poor,  35  poor,  21  fair,  7  good,  and  0  excellent,  well  below  82  percent  good  to excellent last year and 76 average.  



Current Weather & Crops County Comments
Survey Date: 07/22/2012

BOONE
CRP haying and grazing is progressing at a fast pace. Roadside haying is being completed. Producers are still culling cattle and the rest are dry lotted. Pivots are running as much as is allowed but soil moisture in the irrigated crops is still falling behind more each day.

BURT
Crops in the area look much better than east and west of us. Corn is still green in most areas. I've never seen this many pivots running at the same time. Hot winds 7/22 took its toll. Expected high temperatures the next few days (over 100) will cause deterioration of yields tremendously.

CUMING
Corn for silage has began in this area due to drought stress.

DIXON
The drought is taking its toll on a daily basis. Most of the dryland corn is not expected to produce grain. Most of the soybeans could see some recovery with rain in the next week. Irrigators are struggling to keep up right now. Livestock producers are scrambling for feed sources.

DODGE
Dryland crops with better soils are still hanging on but where sandy and light soils exist the crops are drying up. Alfalfa cuttings are very short with slow re-growth. Some irrigation systems are limited because lack of water. Area meetings at NRDs are being held because of the concern of domestic wells drying up. Pastures are drying up and supplemental feeding is required.

KNOX
Most dryland corn is beyond hope. Soybeans are still hanging in there; however, the yield potential has been severely reduced. Insect pressure has been very heavy in irrigated corn. Supplemental feeding of cattle is widespread.

MERRICK
Rain desperately needed. Producers are removing livestock from pastures. Non-irrigated crops are nearly dead. Farmers can't keep up with irrigation, so irrigated crops are also suffering. Wells in the Archer area are surging.

NEMAHA
Continued high temperatures and lack of precipitation have resulted in rapid decline of both grain crops and forage crops as well as pastures. Producers across the county indicate as much as an 85% loss in production on non-irrigated corn and 75% loss on non-irrigated soybeans. Pastures and hayland are poor to very poor across the county and livestock producers have begun providing additional feed to those animals because of the conditions.

OTOE
Producers are looking for feed. Very few third or fourth cuttings of alfalfa. This week's high temperatures and continued dry weather has significantly damaged the crops. Producers will look to start chopping for feed.

WAYNE
Corn silage cutting beginning this week. Some reports of corn being hayed. Supplemental feeding of cattle on pasture are at rates 50 to 75% above normal. Beginning to get reports of liquidation of livestock due to lack of pasture/hay. CRP Emergency Haying/Grazing began this week and was welcome relief.



Click here to see the latest national numbers...  http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-07-23-2012.txt. 



Another Hot, Dry week in Iowa
Farmers Chopping Corn, Applying Fungicides

Another hot, dry week without significant precipitation in most areas of the  state  caused  Iowa  crop  conditions  to  decline. With  deteriorating crop  conditions,  there  have  been  reports  of  some  farmers  starting  to chop  corn.  Applying  fungicide  was  the  week’s  most  common  field activity. 

There  were  6.8  days  suitable  for  fieldwork  statewide  during  the  past week.  Topsoil  moisture  levels  declined  to  74  percent  very  short, 23 percent  short,  3  percent  adequate,  and  0  percent  surplus.  At  least 95 percent of  the  topsoil moisture  is  rated  short  to very  short  in all of Iowa’s  districts.  Subsoil  moisture  dropped  to  64  percent  very  short, 32 percent short, 4 percent adequate, and 0 percent surplus.
 
Ninety-six percent of  the corn crop  is at or beyond  the  tasseling stage, ahead of last year’s 80 percent and the five-year average of 72 percent.Eighty-nine  percent  of  the  corn  crop  is  silking,  ahead  of  last  year’s 63 percent and the five-year average of 55 percent. Thirty-six percent ofthe  corn  crop  has  reached  the milk  stage. Twelve  percent  of  the  corn crop  has  reached  dough  stage,  almost  two  weeks  ahead  of  normal. Reports  show  corn  has  reached  the  dent  stage  in  all  districts  except Northwest and Northeast Iowa. Corn condition is reported at 14 percent very  poor,  26  percent  poor,  37  percent  fair,  21  percent  good,  and2 percent  excellent. 

Eighty-five  percent  of  the  soybean  crop  is  at  or beyond  blooming  stage,  ahead  of  last  year’s  74  percent  and  the  five-year  average  of  72  percent.  Pods  are  being  set  on  36  percent  of  the soybean crop, ahead of last year’s 19 percent and the five-year averageof  26  percent.  Soybean  condition  is  rated  10  percent  very  poor, 20 percent  poor,  42  percent  fair,  25  percent  good,  and  3  percent excellent.

Ninety-one percent of the oat crop has been harvested, almost three weeks ahead of normal. Harvest of  third cutting of alfalfa hay, at 51 percent complete, is a month ahead of normal. Hay condition is rated 27 percent very poor, 29 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 12 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. 

Over three quarters of Iowa’s pasture and range land is rated in poor to very poor condition. Pasture and range condition rated 46 percent very poor,  33  percent  poor,  17  percent  fair,  4  percent  good,  and  0  percent excellent. Excessive heat continues to cause livestock losses.



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

Iowa  endured  yet  another  week  of  unusually  hot  and  dry  weather.  Temperatures averaged 5 to 6 degrees above normal over the east and 8 to 10 degrees above normal over western Iowa with a statewide average of 7.3 degrees  above normal.   This now has been  the hottest  start  for July  and  the  summer  season  since  1936.    This  past week  the  hottest weather  prevailed  on  Wednesday  (18th)  and  Sunday  (22nd).  Temperatures  peaked  at  105  degrees  at  Iowa City  and Keosauqua  on Wednesday and 104 degrees at Des Moines, Little Sioux, Osceola and Sioux City  on  Sunday.   There was  a  slight  cool  down  on  Friday  and Saturday with Elkader  recording a Friday morning  low of 55 degrees.  However, locations such as Des Moines, Osceola and Shenandoah have recorded  eleven  consecutive  days  with  high  temperatures  of  ninety degrees or higher through Sunday.  Rainfall was below normal over all but  a  few  tiny  areas  across  northern  Iowa with Cresco  being  the wet spot  with  2.83 inches  of  rain.   Most  of  the  week’s  rains  came  with scattered  thunderstorms across about  the northeast one-half of Iowa on Wednesday.    There  were  also  some  isolated  thunderstorms  over  the northern  one-third  of  the  state  on  Saturday  and  Sunday.    Most  of southwestern  and  central  Iowa  recorded  no  rain  for  the week.    Some areas,  such  as  Glenwood,  Shenandoah,  Clarinda  and  Bedford,  have recorded 28  consecutive days with  less  than 0.01 inch of  rain  through Sunday.    The  statewide  average  precipitation  was  0.10 inches  while normal  for  the  week  is  1.00 inches.    Iowa  has  now  recorded  below normal  rainfall  for  ten  of  the  past  eleven  weeks  and  above  normal temperatures for eleven of the past twelve weeks.