Agricultural News
Corn, Sorghum and Cotton Harvest Underway Nationally
Mon, 14 Sep 2015 16:41:24 CDT
Corn, sorghum and cotton harvest is making progress nationally. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported all three crops are behind harvested. In the weekly crop progress report, USDA downgraded the condition of the nation's soybean, cotton and sorghum crops. Meanwhile, the nation's corn condition held steady.
Corn harvest has gotten underway across ten of the largest corn producing states. Nationally, five percent of the crop has been harvested, behind the five year average of nine percent. Harvest progress ranges from 57 percent of the North Carolina crop to one percent of Nebraska's and Indiana's.
"Combines are rolling in many states and we will soon get a much more accurate idea of the size of the corn crop," said National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling, a grower from Maryland who is currently harvesting his own acres. "It's good that overall crop condition has held steady, despite challenges in some areas due to flooding, as we work to once again sustainably meet all needs for food and fuel."
Other states with measurable harvest include Illinois (six percent), Kansas (11 percent), Kentucky (20 percent), Missouri (14 percent), Pennsylvania (six percent), Tennessee (17 percent) and Texas (53 percent). Several Corn Belt states have yet to report harvest amounts. Crop maturity remains behind the five year average with 35 percent of the crop mature. In the top 18 corn producing states in the nation, crop condition was once again left unchanged. Overall the corn crop rated, 68 percent in good to excellent condition, 22 percent fair and ten percent poor to very poor.
Last week, USDA lowered the crop forecast. Corn production is now forecast at 13.6 billion bushels, down four percent from last year's record production. Based on conditions as of September 1, yields are expected to average 167.5 bushels per acre, down 3.5 bushels from 2014. If realized, this will be the second highest yield and third largest production on record for the United States.
USDA adjusted the condition of the nation's soybean crop downward. In the top 18 soybean producing states in the nation, 61 percent of the crop was in good to excellent condition, 27 percent fair and 12 percent poor to very poor with 35 percent dropping leaves.
Cotton harvest has gotten underway in five states with four percent of the nation's cotton crop harvested. That's behind the average of seven percent harvested. Maturity remains behind with 46 percent of the crop setting bolls, six points behind the five year average. In the 15 main cotton producing states, USDA reported 52 percent of the crop rated in good to excellent condition, 35 percent fair and 13 percent poor to very poor.
Sorghum harvest nationally reached 22 percent complete, behind the average of 26 percent harvested. Sorghum maturity is ahead of average with 83 percent of the crop coloring and 43 percent of the crop mature. The nation's sorghum crop condition fell slightly since last week with 67 percent of the crop was rated in good to excellent condition, 26 percent fair and seven percent poor to very poor.
Click here for the full national crop progress report.
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