August 27 Crop Progress & Condition Report - NE - IA - US

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending August 26, 2018, there were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 14 short, 80 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 18 short, 79 adequate, and 1 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 11 fair, 54 good, and 29 excellent. Corn dough was 94 percent, near 92 last year, and ahead of 89 for the five-year average. Dented was 59 percent, ahead of 48 last year and 46 average. Mature was 2 percent, near 1 both last year and average.

Soybean condition rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 13 fair, 55 good, and 26 excellent. Soybeans setting pods was 95 percent, near 96 last year, and equal to average. Dropping leaves was 8 percent, ahead of 3 last year, and near 4 average.

Sorghum condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 12 fair, 62 good, and 24 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 62 percent, well ahead of 36 last year and 41 average. Mature was 3 percent.

Pasture and Range Report:
Pasture and range conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 20 fair, 63 good, and 11 excellent.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION REPORT

 Iowa farmers had 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending August 26, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Activities for the week included cutting hay, chopping corn silage, harvesting oats for grain, spraying for aphids, and moving grain.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 7 percent very short, 14 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 8 percent very short, 16 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 6 percent surplus. In spite of recent rains, subsoil moisture levels in south central and southeast Iowa continue to remain critically low with greater than 90 percent rated short to very short.

Ninety-two percent of the corn crop has reached the dough stage or beyond, 8 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn dented was at 63 percent, 9 days ahead of last year. Seven percent of the corn crop was mature, 9 days ahead of average. Seed corn harvest has begun. Corn condition rated 73 percent good to excellent.

Ninety-six percent of the soybean crop was setting pods with 11 percent coloring, 4 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the average. Soybean condition rated 70 percent good to excellent.

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

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 75 percent complete, 4 days behind the previous year but 1 week ahead of the average.

Pasture conditions improved slightly to 43 percent good to excellent. Although pastures in south central and southwest Iowa were able to refresh after receiving much needed precipitation, some producers have been forced to haul water to livestock.



US Corn Mature 5 Percentage Points Ahead of Normal

U.S. row crops continued to race toward maturity with the percentage of corn mature and soybeans dropping leaves ahead of the average pace, according to the USDA National Ag Statistics Service's weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.

NASS estimated that 92% of corn was in the dough stage as of Sunday, Aug. 26, 8 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 84%. Sixty-one percent of corn was dented, 19 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 42%. Corn mature nationwide was estimated at 10%, 5 percentage points ahead of the average pace of 5%.

Meanwhile, 95% of soybeans were estimated to be setting pods, 5 percentage points ahead of the average of 90%. Seven percent of soybeans nationwide were dropping leaves, 3 percentage points ahead of the average of 4%.

The good-to-excellent condition ratings for both crops were mostly stable last week. Nationwide, 68% of corn was rated good to excellent as of Sunday, the same as the previous week. Soybean condition was rated to 66% good to excellent last week, up 1 percentage point from 65% the previous week.

Spring wheat harvest was 77% complete as of Sunday, ahead of last year's 73% and also ahead of the five-year average of 61%.

Sorghum was 93% headed as of Sunday, ahead of the five-year average of 90%. Sorghum coloring was 55%, also ahead of the five-year average of 52%. Sorghum mature was estimated at 27%, behind 29% at the same time last year and also behind the five-year average of 30%. Twenty percent of the sorghum crop was harvested as of Sunday, near the average pace of 21%.

Barley was 80% harvested as of Sunday, near 81% last year but ahead of the average of 72%. Oats were 89% harvested as of Sunday, ahead of 85% for last year and also ahead of the five-year average of 86%.

Twenty percent of rice was harvested as of Sunday, slightly ahead of the average pace of 18%. Cotton was 91% setting bolls, equal to the average pace. Twenty-one percent of cotton had bolls opening, ahead of the average of 18%.