Corn harvest nationwide reached 15 percent completion - still two points ahead of the five-year average. In the I-80 Corridor, Nebraska leads the way with 15 percent of its crop out of the field which is five points ahead of its average pace. Illinois is second with 10 percent done compared to its five-year average of 13 percent. Ohio finally registered corn harvest activity for the first time this year with two percent of its crop now in the bin.
Soybean harvest across the nation is pegged at 12 percent completion compared to its five-year average of 11 percent. Nebraska leads the way in the I-80 Corridor with 14 percent of its crop harvested. Iowa comes in second with 11 percent. Both states are running one percent ahead of their five-year average.
Cotton harvest is keeping pace with its five-year average at 13 percent. The largest producing state of Texas has moved up to 24 percent completion which is now three points ahead of its average pace. Mississippi reports 15 percent of its crop is now out of the field.
Grain sorghum harvest comes in at 28 percent completion compared to the 29 percent average. The largest producing state of Texas is right where it normally is - with 80 percent of its crop now cut. Oklahoma and Kansas have both moved up to 11 percent and Nebraska edged up to six percent.
Pasture conditions were all over the board this week. In the Plains, South Dakota showed the biggest improvement of nine percent in the good to excellent rating while Nebraska added eight points and Oklahoma picked up five. However, Kansas slid in its rating by five points. In the mountain states, Montana reported an impressive improvement of 11 points since last week.
In the topsoil moisture deficit report (generally considered to measure the top four inches of soil representing the seed planting and sprouting zone), Washington state moves into the driest top spot with 82 percent of its acres in the short to very short moisture categories. Louisiana remains at eighty percent, but moves up to second driest on the list because New Mexico and Montana both reported significant improvement from a week ago.
In the subsoil moisture deficit report (considered to measure deep soil moisture down to a few feet where the crop roots would extend downward), Louisiana is tied with Montana for the driest rating with 85 percent in the short to very short categories. Minnesota degraded by four points from last week to move into third place with 80 percent.
USDA Crop Progress 230925.pdf
