NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — Moisture improved across parts of the South, Southeast, Northeast, and Mid-Atlantic during the past week, while drought expanded across portions of the Plains, Upper Midwest, and Florida. Producers also faced rising irrigation and freight costs, tighter cattle supplies, and uneven pasture conditions as crops moved deeper into reproductive development.
Great Plains
- Kansas: Winter wheat harvest moved toward completion while row crops faced increasing heat and moisture stress. Feedlots continued managing expensive replacement cattle and weaker projected margins.
- Nebraska: Corn and soybean development advanced, but drought remained a concern in western and northern production areas. Feedlots held 2.54 million cattle July 1, leaving the state narrowly behind Texas.
- North Dakota: Spring wheat, barley, and canola development continued under mixed moisture conditions. Producers monitored disease pressure where rainfall was adequate and yield loss where dryness persisted.
- Oklahoma: Pasture conditions improved from early spring but remained weaker than last year. The planned reopening of selected Mexican cattle crossings could eventually add feeder supplies across the Southern Plains.
- South Dakota: Crop development advanced, but pasture stress and uneven rainfall continued limiting forage recovery. Feedlot inventories remained above last year despite a June decline.
- Texas: South Plains and Panhandle cotton suffered from prolonged heat and limited rainfall, while areas farther south and east benefited from improved moisture. Texas regained the largest feedlot inventory with 2.56 million head, narrowly topping Nebraska.
Midwest
- Illinois: Corn and soybeans moved through critical reproductive stages with generally adequate moisture, although localized dryness remained. Producers monitored disease, insects, and whether July rainfall could sustain yield potential.
- Indiana: Row crops remained broadly favorable as moisture supported pollination and pod development. Farmers continued scouting for foliar disease and insect pressure as canopies closed.
- Iowa: Corn tasseling and soybean reproduction advanced after periods of heat and locally heavy rainfall. Disease pressure remained uneven, with bacterial leaf streak, gray leaf spot, and weed escapes reported in some fields.
- Kentucky: Rainfall improved drought conditions, but earlier moisture shortages continued affecting pastures, hay production, and livestock water supplies. Tobacco and row-crop producers watched for disease following wetter conditions.
- Michigan: Soybeans remained generally on schedule despite late planting and drowned-out areas in some fields. Growers evaluated white mold risk as wider-row beans approached canopy closure.
- Minnesota: Northern areas remained among the Midwest’s driest, with drought expanding during July. Corn, soybeans, small grains, and forage crops faced increasing stress where rainfall remained limited.
- Missouri: Conditions varied sharply between wetter northern fields and lingering dryness in southern areas. Pasture recovery remained important for cattle producers facing high supplemental feed costs.
- Ohio: Crops generally avoided the more severe drought affecting western portions of the region. Producers focused on crop protection, nutrient management, and maintaining yield potential through pollination.
- Wisconsin: Most farmland remained outside drought, although abnormal dryness expanded in northern and scattered central areas. Corn and soybeans were largely in good condition, but growers watched for heat and late-season moisture shortages.
Delta and South
- Alabama: Cotton, peanuts, and pastures benefited from scattered rainfall, but forage remained weaker than last year. Producers maintained fungicide and insect-control programs as humidity increased disease risk.
- Arkansas: Rice, cotton, soybeans, and corn advanced under mixed moisture conditions. Reduced national rice acreage supported prices, but high fertilizer, fuel, and irrigation costs continued limiting profitability.
- Florida: Drought worsened in parts of the state despite localized rainfall. Cattle, citrus, vegetable, and forage producers continued monitoring water availability and heat stress.
- Georgia: Peanut conditions improved, with growers catching up on weed and fungicide applications. Disease risk increased as older fields moved deeper into pegging and pod development.
- Louisiana: Irrigation expenses remained a major concern as diesel prices and drought increased pumping requirements. Rice, corn, cotton, and soybean producers evaluated water scheduling and fuel purchases.
- Mississippi: Rice acreage was projected at its lowest level since 1961, while estimated production costs remained well above expected revenue. Pasture mealybugs also threatened bermudagrass and other forage systems.
- North Carolina: Tobacco, corn, soybeans, cotton, and peanuts received beneficial rainfall in some areas. Producers continued disease and insect management as crop growth accelerated.
- South Carolina: Field crops benefited from improved rainfall, but heat and earlier dryness left pasture conditions uneven. Livestock operations monitored forage availability and supplemental feed needs.
- Tennessee: Corn and soybean development advanced while cattle producers assessed hay and pasture supplies. Rain helped some areas, but forage conditions remained below last year.
- Virginia: Rainfall improved conditions in several drought-affected areas. Corn, soybeans, tobacco, hay, and livestock producers still faced uneven soil moisture and high input costs.
- West Virginia: Pasture and hay conditions improved with rainfall, although earlier dryness reduced forage reserves in some counties. Livestock producers continued planning for winter feed needs.
West and Southwest
- Arizona: Irrigated crop and livestock operations faced high summer pumping and cooling costs. The Douglas livestock crossing is scheduled to reopen August 24 under strict New World screwworm inspections.
- California: Specialty crops, dairy operations, and livestock producers continued managing heat, water, and labor demands. Exporters also monitored elevated Pacific shipping costs to Asian markets.
- Nevada: Rangeland and livestock conditions remained dependent on localized moisture and irrigation supplies. Producers watched wildfire risk and forage availability.
- New Mexico: Santa Teresa and Columbus could reopen to Mexican livestock after USDA evaluates the initial Arizona reopening. Ranchers continued balancing feeder-cattle trade needs against screwworm risks.
- Utah: Range conditions varied with elevation and summer rainfall. Sheep and cattle producers monitored forage supplies, while the federal lamb-import investigation drew strong industry interest.
Northwest and Northern Rockies
- Idaho: Recent rainfall improved drought conditions in parts of the state. Potato, grain, dairy, and livestock operations continued managing irrigation demand and summer heat.
- Montana: Rainfall improved some drought-affected areas, but rangeland conditions remained mixed. Wheat and pulse growers monitored crop maturity, disease, and harvest timing.
- Oregon: Wheat harvest expanded while specialty-crop and livestock producers watched irrigation supplies. Pacific Northwest grain exporters retained a freight advantage over Gulf shippers serving Japan.
- Washington: Winter wheat harvest progressed, and spring crops continued developing under mixed moisture conditions. Export elevators benefited from lower ocean freight costs than competing Gulf routes.
- Wyoming: Rangeland stress continued affecting livestock carrying capacity. Ranchers watched hay production, wildfire danger, and feeder-cattle prices.
Northeast
- Connecticut: Vegetable, nursery, dairy, and hay operations benefited from improved rainfall. Humidity increased disease-management needs in specialty crops.
- Delaware: Corn, soybeans, vegetables, and poultry operations received moisture support. Producers monitored crop disease and nutrient loss following heavy rainfall.
- Maine: Potato and forage crops continued developing under generally improved moisture. Growers watched late-blight risk and harvest preparation.
- Maryland: Rain reduced dryness across parts of the state. Corn and soybeans benefited, while vegetable and fruit producers increased disease scouting.
- Massachusetts: Fruit, vegetable, dairy, and nursery farms received improved moisture but faced continued labor and input expenses. Humid conditions raised fungal-disease concerns.
- New Hampshire: Hay, pasture, dairy, and vegetable conditions improved where rainfall returned. Producers continued rebuilding forage supplies after earlier dryness.
- New Jersey: Vegetable, fruit, nursery, and field-crop operations benefited from rainfall. Growers monitored disease and heat-related quality concerns.
- New York: Dairy and forage farms received needed moisture in several areas. Corn silage, hay, fruit, and vegetable producers watched disease pressure and crop maturity.
- Pennsylvania: Rain improved pasture, hay, corn, and soybean conditions. Livestock operations continued monitoring forage quality and feed inventories.
- Rhode Island: Specialty crops and pasture benefited from improved rainfall. Producers maintained disease-control programs during warm, humid weather.
- Vermont: Dairy farms continued hay and forage harvest where weather allowed. Improved rainfall supported regrowth, but field conditions remained uneven.
Upper Midwest And Great Lakes
- Wisconsin: Crop conditions remained mostly favorable, although dryness expanded in northern areas. Dairy producers faced lower projected milk prices as national herd growth increased supply.
- Michigan: Soybeans and corn remained generally on schedule, with disease and white mold risk becoming more important. Fruit producers also monitored crop quality and harvest labor.
- Minnesota: Drought in northern areas remained the region’s largest concern. Small grains, forage, corn, and soybeans needed additional rainfall to protect yield potential.
Far North, Hawaii & U.S. Territories
- Alaska: Hay, livestock, vegetable, and specialty-crop operations continued through the short growing season. Producers monitored wildfire smoke, rainfall, and harvest timing.
- Hawaii: Tropical agriculture continued managing irrigation, labor, disease, and shipping expenses. Livestock producers watched pasture recovery and feed availability.
- Puerto Rico: Coffee, plantain, livestock, and vegetable operations faced localized moisture variability and high production costs. Producers continued monitoring tropical weather and transportation reliability.
