RFD News Weekly Crop Progress and Livestock Production Regional Update

NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — The USDA’s latest available Crop Progress report shows planting ahead of average for corn and soybeans, while winter wheat and pasture conditions remain under pressure in the Plains and parts of the South.

Drought.gov reports 62.42 percent of the Lower 48 in drought as of May 19, with drought persisting across the West, High Plains, South and Southeast, and parts of the Midwest, Northeast, and the Mid-Atlantic.

Great Plains

Kansas: Corn planting reached 63 percent, slightly behind the five-year average, while sorghum planting was ahead of normal at 12 percent. Winter wheat was 93 percent headed, but 58 percent of the crop was rated poor to very poor. Pasture and range were also stressed, with 39 percent rated poor to very poor.
Oklahoma: Wheat was 94 percent headed, but 48 percent was rated poor to very poor. Sorghum and cotton planting were both ahead of average, while pasture and range conditions remained mostly fair to poor.
Texas: Cotton and sorghum planting were near normal, but winter wheat remained a major concern. USDA rated 65 percent of Texas winter wheat poor to very poor, and topsoil moisture was 61 percent short to very short.
Nebraska: Corn and soybean planting were both ahead of average, with soybeans especially strong at 81 percent planted. Winter wheat conditions were severe, with 84 percent rated poor to very poor, while pasture and range were 83 percent poor to very poor.
Colorado: Corn planting was ahead of average, and winter wheat heading was far ahead of normal. Crop and forage stress remained high, with 58 percent of winter wheat and 66 percent of pasture and range rated poor to very poor.
Wyoming: Pasture and range remained under heavy pressure, with 65 percent rated poor to very poor. Topsoil moisture was also tight, with 74 percent short to very short.

Midwest

Illinois: Corn planting reached 75 percent, slightly ahead of average, while soybeans reached 74 percent, also ahead of normal. Winter wheat conditions remained favorable, with 73 percent rated good to excellent.
Iowa: Corn planting was 88 percent complete, ahead of the five-year average, and soybeans reached 80 percent. Oats were also in strong condition, with 85 percent rated good to excellent.
Missouri: Corn planting matched last year at 84 percent and remained slightly ahead of average. Soybean planting reached 59 percent, well ahead of average, while winter wheat was 71 percent good to excellent.
Indiana: Corn and soybean planting were both ahead of average, each at 67 percent. Winter wheat conditions were favorable, with 73 percent rated good to excellent.
Ohio: Corn planting reached 52 percent, ahead of average, and soybeans reached 46 percent. Winter wheat was 68 percent good to excellent, giving the eastern Corn Belt a stronger wheat outlook than the Plains.

Delta & South

Arkansas: Soybeans reached 87 percent planted, and rice reached 96 percent planted. Rice condition was mostly favorable, with 69 percent rated good to excellent.
Louisiana: Soybeans were 94 percent planted, and rice was nearly complete at 99 percent planted. Cotton lagged the five-year average, while rice condition remained strong at 80 percent good to excellent.
Mississippi: Soybean and rice planting were well ahead, with soybeans at 90 percent and rice at 97 percent. Cotton planting was also ahead of average, though rice condition was mostly fair to good.
Tennessee: Corn, soybean, and cotton planting all moved well ahead of average. Corn reached 96 percent planted, soybeans reached 80 percent and cotton reached 73 percent.
Alabama: Cotton planting reached 54 percent, slightly ahead of average, while peanut planting remained behind normal. Pasture and range conditions were mixed, with 46 percent rated good to excellent and 40 percent fair.
Georgia: Cotton and peanut planting were both slightly behind average. Pasture conditions remained weak, with only 17 percent rated good to excellent and 47 percent rated poor to very poor.
North Carolina: Corn planting was near complete at 94 percent, and soybeans reached 61 percent, ahead of average. Winter wheat and pasture conditions were weaker, with drought and dryness pressuring parts of the state.
South Carolina: Cotton and peanut planting were behind average, and pasture conditions remained poor. USDA rated 53 percent of pasture and range poor to very poor, with topsoil moisture 80 percent short to very short.

West & Southwest

California: Cotton planting reached 95 percent, ahead of average, while rice planting lagged at 45 percent. Winter wheat and pasture conditions were strong, with wheat 95 percent good to excellent and pasture 95 percent good to excellent.
Arizona: Cotton planting matched the five-year average at 90 percent. Pasture and range remained under pressure, with 63 percent rated poor to very poor.
New Mexico: Dryness remained the main issue. Pasture and range were 60 percent poor to very poor, and topsoil moisture was 93 percent short to very short.
Utah: Pasture and range conditions stayed weak, with 42 percent rated poor to very poor. Topsoil moisture was 54 percent short to very short.
Nevada: Pasture conditions were mostly fair, with 70 percent rated fair and 25 percent good to excellent. Moisture conditions were mixed, with half of topsoil rated short to very short.

Northwest & Northern Rockies

Idaho: Spring wheat, barley and sugarbeet planting were all near completion or ahead of average. Winter wheat remained strong, with 86 percent rated good to excellent.
Washington: Spring wheat and barley planting were nearly complete, and winter wheat was 82 percent good to excellent. Pasture and range were mostly fair to good.
Oregon: Winter wheat condition remained mixed but generally favorable, with 58 percent rated good to excellent. Pasture and range were also mostly good to excellent.
Montana: Spring wheat planting was near average, while barley planting was ahead of normal. Winter wheat and pasture conditions remained stressed, with 50 percent of pasture and range rated poor to very poor.

Northeast

Pennsylvania: Corn planting was near average, and oats were well ahead of normal at 96 percent planted. Pasture and range were mixed, with 55 percent good to excellent and 43 percent fair.
New York: Pasture conditions were favorable, with 79 percent rated good to excellent. Topsoil moisture was abundant, with 44 percent rated surplus.
New England: Vermont reported very strong pasture conditions, while New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island were mostly fair to excellent. Forage and livestock conditions were steadier than in the drought-stressed Plains and South.
Mid-Atlantic: Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and New Jersey showed more dryness stress. Virginia pasture was 61 percent poor to very poor, while Maryland and Delaware reported high short-to-very-short topsoil moisture.

Upper Midwest & Great Lakes

Minnesota: Corn and soybean planting were both ahead of average, and spring wheat planting reached 80 percent. Pasture and range conditions were mostly fair to good.
Wisconsin: Corn planting was slightly ahead of average, while soybean planting was also ahead. Oats were behind average, but pasture and range remained mostly fair to good.
Michigan: Corn, soybean, and sugarbeet planting all lagged the average. Pasture and range were stronger, with 84 percent rated good to excellent.
North Dakota: Corn, soybeans, spring wheat and sugarbeets were all ahead of average. Pasture and range were mostly fair to good, though 18 percent remained poor to very poor.
South Dakota: Corn, soybeans, and spring wheat were all ahead of average. Pasture and range remained pressured, with 45 percent rated poor to very poor and 61 percent of topsoil short to very short.

Far North & Territories

Alaska: USDA’s national Crop Progress report does not include major field-crop condition tables for Alaska in this release. The main seasonal focus remains local forage, specialty crops, livestock feed conditions and spring fieldwork.
Hawaii: Hawaii is not included in the major field-crop progress tables used for this recap. Producers continue to watch localized moisture, specialty crop conditions and livestock forage availability.
Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories: Drought remains part of the national picture, with Drought.gov reporting 52.15 percent of the United States and Puerto Rico in drought as of May 19. Water availability, forage conditions and specialty crop needs remain the main watch points for affected areas.