April 15 Crop Progress & Condition Reports

NEBRASKA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION

For the week ending April 14, 2019, there were 2.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 1 short, 66 adequate, and 33 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 2 short, 68 adequate, and 30 surplus.

Field Crops Report:
Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 27 fair, 64 good, and 4 excellent.

Oats planted was 12 percent, well behind 33 last year and 53 for the five-year average. Emerged was 1 percent, near 4 last year, and behind 13 average.



IOWA CROP PROGRESS & CONDITION

 Iowa farmers were waiting for warmer weather and drier conditions as snow, ice and rain throughout the State prevented much fieldwork during the week ending April 14, 2019, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 1.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Southwest Iowa had the most days suitable for fieldwork at 4.1 days. Fieldwork activities remained mostly limited to applying anhydrous and spreading manure with very little planting done.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 55 percent adequate and 45 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 52 percent adequate and 48 percent surplus.

Sixteen percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 4 days ahead of last year but a week behind the 5-year average. While one-quarter of the expected oats have been planted in northeast and west central Iowa, north central Iowa farmers have not yet begun planting oats.

Pastures continued to green up slowly with very little livestock placed on pasture ground. Overall, livestock and feedlot conditions have improved. However, in the Northwest District there were reports that recent weather conditions stressed livestock and caused respiratory issues.



USDA: Corn, Spring Wheat Planting Fall Behind Average Pace

U.S. corn planting slipped behind the five-year average pace and spring wheat planting fell further behind average last week, according to USDA NASS' weekly Crop Progress report on Monday.

For the week ended Sunday, April 14, 3% of the nation's corn crop was planted, equal to last year at the same time but 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 5%. In last Monday's report, corn planting was reported as equal to the five-year average.

Most corn-planting activity was still only taking place in the Southern states, such as Texas, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Spring wheat planting also further behind the average last week. NASS reported that only 2% of spring wheat had been planted as of Sunday, up only 1 percentage point from the previous week, behind 3% at the same time last year and significantly behind the five-year average of 13%.

Progress of the winter wheat crop also slowed last week. Nationwide, 6% of winter wheat was headed as of Sunday, behind 8% at the same time last year and also behind the five-year average of 9%.

The condition of the winter wheat crop, on the other hand, remained steady at 60% good to excellent, the highest good-to-excellent rating at this time of year in seven years. Fifty-nine percent of winter wheat in top-producing Kansas was rated good to excellent.

Sorghum was 16% planted, compared to 20% last year and a 19% five-year average. Cotton planting was 7% complete, compared to 8% last year and a 7% average. Rice was 26% planted, compared to 30% last year and a 35% average. Thirteen percent of rice was emerged, compared to 14% last year and an average of 15%.

Oats were 30% planted as of April 14, compared to 29% last year and a 40% average. Emergence was at 26%, compared to 26% last year and a 28% average.