August 20 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending August 19, 2018, there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 15 short, 77 adequate, and 6 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 21 short, 73 adequate, and 4 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 10 fair, 57 good, and 27 excellent. Corn dough was 88 percent, ahead of 80 last year and 79 for the five-year average. Dented was 38 percent, ahead of 26 last year and 25 average.

Soybean condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 12 fair, 59 good, and 22 excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 92 percent, ahead of 87 last year, and near 88 average. Dropping leaves was 2 percent, near 1 average.

Sorghum condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 13 fair, 62 good, and 22 excellent. Sorghum headed was 96 percent, ahead of 90 both last year and average. Coloring was 43 percent, well ahead of 22 last year, and ahead of 25 average.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 4 poor, 18 fair, 58 good, and 17 excellent.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

Iowa farmers had 5.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 19, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included harvesting hay and oats for grain, chopping corn silage, spraying for aphids, and moving grain.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 11 percent very short, 19 percent short, 64 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 10 percent very short, 19 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 5 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels in south central and southeast Iowa remain critical with 95 percent or more rated short to very short.

Eighty-five percent of the corn crop has reached the dough stage or beyond, 9 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn dented was at 42 percent, 9 days ahead of last year. Corn condition rated 73 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-eight percent of the soybean crop was blooming with 93 percent setting pods, 1 week ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the average. Soybean condition declined slightly to 70 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-five percent of the oat crop has been harvested for grain.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 66 percent complete, 5 days behind the previous year but 8 days ahead of the average.

Pasture conditions declined to 41 percent good to excellent. While some feedlots in northwest Iowa have been dealing with mud, dry conditions in southern Iowa have resulted in CRP being released for emergency grazing.



USDA - Corn, Soybean Progress Still Running Ahead of Normal

U.S. corn and soybeans still appear to be on pace for what could be an earlier-than-normal harvest, according to the USDA National Ag Statistics Service's weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

NASS estimated that 85% of corn was in the dough stage as of Sunday, Aug. 20, 13 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 72%. Forty-four percent of corn was dented, 18 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 26%. Meanwhile, 91% of soybeans were estimated to be setting pods, 8 percentage points ahead of the average of 83%.

Good-to-excellent ratings for both corn and soybeans fell again slightly last week. Nationwide, 68% of corn was rated good to excellent as of Sunday, down 2 percentage point from 70% the previous week. Soybean condition also dropped slightly to 65% good to excellent last week, down 1 percentage point from 66% the previous week.

Winter wheat harvest had nearly wrapped up by the end of last week, with 97% of the crop estimated as harvested, near 98% for both last year and the five-year average.

Spring wheat harvest was 60% complete as of Sunday, ahead of last year's 55% and also ahead of the five-year average of 44%.

Sorghum was 87% headed as of Sunday, ahead of the five-year average of 83%. Sorghum coloring was 46%, also ahead of the five-year average of 43%. Sorghum mature was estimated at 23%, behind 25% at the same time and also behind the five-year average of 27%. Sorghum condition was rated 49%, unchanged from the previous week.

Barley was 66% harvested as of Sunday, near 67% last year but ahead of the average of 56%. Barley condition was rated 78% good to excellent, down 3 percentage points from 81% the previous week. Oats were 80% harvested as of Sunday, ahead of 76% for last year and also ahead of the five-year average of 77%.

Rice was 95% headed as of Sunday, equal to last year but ahead of the average of 91%. Fifteen percent of rice was harvested, slightly ahead of the average pace of 13%. Cotton was 86% setting bolls, equal to the average pace. Seventeen percent of cotton had bolls opening, ahead of the average of 12%. Cotton's good-to-excellent condition rating, at 42%, was up 2 percentage points from the previous week's 40%. Rice's good-to-excellent rating, at 73%, was up 4 percentage points from the previous week's 69%.