Since the focus is now shifting to harvest progress, I will give those numbers first this week with the condition ratings on what is left of the crops following.
Nationally, corn harvest progress has moved ahead by eight percentage points to 18 percent complete. Texas already has 83 percent of its crop out of the field compared to its five year average of 69 percent. North Carolina has picked 77 percent. Of the five states in the I-80 Corridor, Illinois has made the most progress with 21 percent already harvested while Indiana has taken out 15 percent as of Sunday. The national corn condition rating for the remaining unharvested corn acres came in at 59 percent good to excellent which would be the same as last week. For corn conditions in the I-80 Corridor, Nebraska picked up two points in the good to excellent categories, but Illinois went down two even though it still has a higher rating of 72 percent. Ohio corn still shows the best condition with 75 percent rated good to excellent this week.
The national soybean harvest is now 16 percent complete - three points ahead of its average pace. Louisiana is over half done with 54 percent out of the field. In the I-80 Corridor, Iowa has made the fastest start with 18 percent of its soybeans harvested. Nebraska is right on its heels at 17 percent. National soybean conditionsremained the same as last week at 58 percent good to excellent. After a big improvement last week, Illinois soybean conditions slid backwards by three percent this week to 72 percent good to excellent, but that is still the best rating of any of the I-80 Corridor states.
Grain sorghum (milo) harvest progressed to 31 percent done nationwide. Texas is far ahead of all other states in milo harvest progress at 80 percent completion - outpacing its five year average by four points. South Dakota has 18 percent of its milo harvested while the other Plains states are running at a 10 to 11 percent clip. We did see some slippage in the grain sorghum condition ratings this week with Colorado and South Dakota both dropping three points down to 62 percent and 19 percent respectively in the combined good to excellent categories.
Cotton harvest is pegged at 11 percent complete nationwide which still lags its five year average by three points. In the key producing states, Texas leads the way with 21 percent of its crop now harvested while most of the other top producing states are just getting a good start. In the cotton condition report, the national average improved by one point to 65 percent good to excellent. In the state breakdown, USDA says Alabama had a large decline of seven points - bringing it down to 74 percent in. However, that is still the best rating of all of the top producing states.
Rice harvest has pushed ahead to reach 61 percent nationwide. Louisiana and Texas are almost done with 94 percent of the crop taken out of the field in both states. (Rice condition ratings have been discontinued since the majority of the crop is already harvested.)
The national peanut harvest progress now stands at 10 percent which is six points behind the five year average. Florida has made the most harvest progress with 28 percent now out of the field. When it comes to peanut condition, 71 percent of the nation’s peanuts are said to be in the good to excellent categories, but the biggest producing state of Georgia took a three point hit as it dropped down to 69 percent.
Pasture conditions saw declines in ALL of the Plains states from Texas to South Dakota. Kansas saw the biggest drop in condition as it slid eight points down to 34 percent in the good to excellent categories. Oklahoma had a four point decline. Interestingly, North Dakota and the Rocky Mountain states of Colorado and Wyoming all saw improvement in their ratings last week.
In the topsoil moisture deficit section, Montana retains the top spot with 98 percent of its farmland rated short to very short in the top four inches of the soil. Washington state declined to 94 percent short to very short.
The subsoil moisture deficit section also has Montana with the worst conditions - pegged at 96 percent of its acreage rated short to very short while Washington is right behind it with a rating of 95 percent.
USDA reported that the nation’s winter wheat crop plantingprogress has reached 34 percent nationwide. That would be two points ahead of the five year average. In the Plains states, Nebraska surged to 61 percent complete while South Dakota is close behind at 58 percent planted. Rain in the forecast for this coming week would be very beneficial to get the new crop off to a fast start and farmers are putting seed in the ground as fast as they can in hopes of capitalizing on that.
