Agricultural News
Corn Planting Progresses Rapidly While Wheat Conditions Deteriorate, According To The Latest USDA Crop Progress Report
Mon, 04 May 2020 16:43:50 CDTWinter wheat conditions have been trending downward the past several weeks as damage from a late freeze and drought is taking its toll on the crop. That's the headline from this week's USDA Crop Progress report.
The photo shown here is from eastern Jewell County, Kansas (courtesy of Bill Spiegel), showing stress from freeze and dryness.
The Oklahoma wheat crop is still ahead of the pack as the 18 major winter wheat states are showing an average of 55 percent in the good to excellent category compared to Oklahoma's 64 percent.
The other major statistic we're following is spring planting progress and it took a huge jump in the corn belt this week as over half the crop has now been planted in the 18 major corn states. Last week only 27 percent had been planted and the recent 5-year average is 39 percent.
Looking at selected states, Iowa doubled its corn planting rate from last week, going from 39 percent to 78 percent today. Illinois jumped from 37 percent to 56 percent and Nebraska went from 20 percent to 61 percent.
Soybean plantings also made significant progress going from 8 percent last week to 23 percent this week.
Grain Sorghum planting is the only crop that is lagging behind normal, showing only 22 percent planted this week compared to the 5-year average of 26 percent in the 6 major grain sorghum states.
To view the national report, click here.
In Oklahoma wheat headed reached 71 percent, up 15 points from the previous year but down 2 points from normal.
Wheat condition is rated 64 percent good to excellent this week (62 percent last week), 29 percent fair (24 percent last week) and 7 percent is poor to very poor (14 percent last week).
Corn planted reached 38 percent, unchanged from the previous year but down 14 points from normal.
Pasture and range conditions are rated at 83 percent good to fair. Livestock condition was rated at 91 percent good to fair.
To view the Oklahoma report, click here.
In Kansas the winter wheat conditions are not much changed from last week as the crop is rated 42 percent good to excellent (40 percent last week) 36 percent fair (40 percent last week) and 22 percent poor to very poor (20 percent last week).
Corn planted was 42 percent, near the 38 percent mark at this time last year and the 45 percent average.
Pasture and range conditions rated 56 percent good to excellent, 33 percent fair and 11 percent poor to very poor.
To view the Kansas report, click here.
In Texas some producers in the Plains continued to harvest wheat silage, while others cut and baled hay. Cattle grazed acreage that was not going to be harvested for grain. Small grain crops continued to progress in areas of the Edwards Plateau, South, and South-Central Texas, with harvest anticipated very soon.
The Texas wheat crop is rated 50 percent in the good to excellent category (57 percent last week), 33 percent fair (30 percent last week) and 17 percent is poor to very poor this week (13 percent last week).
Livestock were rated in fair to good condition. Supplemental feeding slowed in many areas. Pasture and range condition is rated mostly fair to good.
To view the Texas report, click here.
It should be noted for survey procedures: Crop progress and condition estimates are based on survey data collected each week from early April through the end of November. The non-probability crop progress and condition surveys include input from approximately 3,600 respondents whose occupations provide them opportunities to make visual observations and frequently bring them in contact with farmers in their counties. Based on standard definitions, these respondents subjectively estimate the progress of crops through various stages of development, as well as the progress of producer activities. They also provide subjective evaluations of crop conditions. Most respondents complete their questionnaires on Friday or early Monday morning and submit them to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Field Offices in their States by mail, telephone, fax, e-mail, or through a secured internet website.
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