NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — Nationally, row crops held mostly steady, while pasture and range conditions showed more stress across livestock regions. Corn and soybeans remained near last year’s condition ratings, but winter wheat and pasture ratings showed deeper drought pressure in the Plains and parts of the South.
The clearest producer signal is split by enterprise. Grain crops still have a workable start in many Corn Belt states, while cattle producers in drier areas are watching forage, water, and hay supplies more closely.
Great Plains
- Kansas: Corn emergence reached 96 percent, and 64 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Winter wheat harvest moved quickly, reaching 58 percent, but only 14 percent of the crop was rated good and none was rated excellent. Pasture and range conditions were mixed, with 19 percent rated poor to very poor.
- Nebraska: Corn emergence was complete, but condition ratings reflected dryland pressure, with 57 percent rated good to excellent. Winter wheat conditions remained very weak, with 83 percent rated poor to very poor. Pasture and range stress was severe, with 73 percent rated poor to very poor.
- Oklahoma: Winter wheat harvest was nearly complete at 95 percent. Wheat condition remained weak, with 61 percent rated poor to very poor. Sorghum planting advanced to 78 percent, and pasture conditions showed continued pressure, with 31 percent rated poor to very poor.
- Texas: Corn silking reached 67 percent, matching the five-year average. Cotton planting reached 90 percent, while cotton condition remained uneven, with 20 percent rated poor to very poor. Pasture and range conditions were better than the central Plains, but 25 percent still rated poor to very poor.
- Colorado: Corn emergence lagged the five-year average at 85 percent. Winter wheat condition was poor, with 63 percent rated poor to very poor and only 7 percent rated good. Pasture and range conditions were also stressed, with 63 percent rated poor to very poor.
Midwest
- Iowa: Corn emergence was nearly complete at 99 percent, and 77 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 98 percent emerged, with 74 percent rated good to excellent. Pasture conditions were supportive, with 75 percent rated good to excellent.
- Illinois: Corn was 96 percent emerged, and 60 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 93 percent emerged, with 58 percent rated good to excellent. Winter wheat harvest reached 41 percent, ahead of the five-year average.
- Indiana: Corn emergence reached 96 percent, with 71 percent rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 95 percent emerged, and 71 percent were rated good to excellent. Winter wheat harvest remained slow at 5 percent, behind the five-year average.
- Ohio: Corn emergence reached 94 percent, just behind the five-year average. Soybeans were 94 percent emerged, with 55 percent rated good to excellent. Winter wheat harvest was just 3 percent complete, matching the five-year average.
- Missouri: Corn silking reached 13 percent, well ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans were 80 percent emerged, and 59 percent were rated good to excellent. Winter wheat harvest reached 59 percent, also ahead of the average pace.
Delta & South
- Arkansas: Soybeans were 98 percent emerged, with 74 percent rated good to excellent. Soybeans blooming reached 65 percent, well ahead of the five-year average. Rice was 6 percent headed, and 65 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent.
- Louisiana: Soybeans were 99 percent emerged, and blooming reached 85 percent. Rice heading reached 42 percent, ahead of the five-year average. Crop conditions were mixed, with soybeans at 49 percent good to excellent and rice at 73 percent good to excellent.
- Mississippi: Soybeans were 97 percent emerged, with 69 percent rated good to excellent. Cotton planting reached 99 percent, but cotton condition remained more moderate, with 51 percent rated good to excellent. Rice heading reached 14 percent, ahead of the average.
- Tennessee: Corn silking reached 44 percent, far ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans were 90 percent emerged, with 74 percent rated good to excellent. Cotton was 99 percent planted, and 62 percent of the crop rated good to excellent.
- Alabama: Cotton planting reached 99 percent, and 83 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Cotton squaring reached 40 percent, ahead of the five-year average. Pasture and range conditions were strong, with 79 percent rated good to excellent.
West & Southwest
- California: Cotton planting was complete, and 95 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Rice conditions were also favorable, with 80 percent rated good to excellent. Winter wheat harvest reached 40 percent, ahead of the five-year average.
- Arizona: Cotton planting was complete, and 93 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Cotton setting bolls reached 18 percent, slightly ahead of the five-year average. Pasture and range conditions were poor, with 75 percent rated poor to very poor.
- New Mexico: Pasture and range conditions remained stressed. Forty-three percent rated poor to very poor, and only 25 percent rated good to excellent. Livestock producers there will be watching forage availability and water conditions closely.
- Utah: Pasture and range conditions were mixed, with 34 percent rated poor to very poor. Good-to-excellent ratings stood at 39 percent. That points to uneven forage conditions as we head deeper into summer.
- Nevada: Pasture and range conditions were mostly fair. Seventy percent rated fair, while 25 percent rated good to excellent. Livestock conditions appear less severe than in the central Plains, but forage quality still needs to be monitored.
Northwest & Northern Rockies
- Idaho: Spring wheat was 45 percent headed, well ahead of the five-year average. Spring wheat condition was strong, with 75 percent rated good to excellent. Barley was also ahead of average, with 50 percent headed and 72 percent rated good to excellent.
- Montana: Spring wheat was only 6 percent headed, behind the five-year average. Condition ratings were weaker, with just 28 percent rated good to excellent. Pasture and range conditions showed stress, with 46 percent rated poor to very poor.
- Oregon: Winter wheat condition remained mixed, with 33 percent rated good to excellent. Pasture and range conditions were also uneven, with 26 percent rated poor to very poor. Producers will be watching summer heat and soil moisture.
- Washington: Spring wheat was 82 percent headed, well ahead of the five-year average. Winter wheat condition was stronger than much of the Plains, with 65 percent rated good to excellent. Barley was also ahead of average, with 80 percent headed.
- Wyoming: Pasture and range conditions were weak, with 60 percent rated poor to very poor. Only 10 percent rated good, and none rated excellent. That leaves livestock producers facing continued forage concerns.
Northeast
- Pennsylvania: Corn emergence reached 83 percent, slightly behind the five-year average. Corn condition was strong, with 86 percent rated good to excellent. Oats were 39 percent headed, and 82 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent.
- New York: Pasture and range conditions were favorable, with 87 percent rated good to excellent. That supports hay and grazing prospects heading into summer. For livestock producers, the state remains in better shape than many western and central regions.
- Vermont: Pasture and range conditions were strong, with 75 percent rated good to excellent. No pasture was rated poor or very poor. Hay and grazing conditions remain supportive where fieldwork windows allow progress.
- Maine: Pasture and range conditions were mostly favorable, with 73 percent rated good to excellent. Only 6 percent rated poor, and none rated very poor. Livestock producers had a steadier forage picture than producers in the Plains.
- Massachusetts: Pasture and range conditions were stable, with 60 percent rated good to excellent. No pasture was rated very poor. Conditions support livestock and forage operations, though summer moisture remains important.
Upper Midwest & Great Lakes
- Minnesota: Corn emergence reached 99 percent, and 79 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 97 percent emerged, with 76 percent rated good to excellent. Spring wheat condition was strong, with 85 percent rated good to excellent.
- Wisconsin: Corn emergence reached 97 percent, ahead of the five-year average. Corn condition was strong, with 81 percent rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 95 percent emerged, and 79 percent rated good to excellent.
- Michigan: Corn emergence reached 89 percent, behind the five-year average. Still, 73 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 86 percent emerged, and 61 percent rated good to excellent.
- North Dakota: Soybeans were 93 percent emerged, well ahead of the five-year average. Spring wheat was 9 percent headed, slightly behind average, and 58 percent rated good to excellent. Pasture and range conditions were mixed, with 52 percent rated good to excellent.
- South Dakota: Corn emergence was complete, and 67 percent of the crop was rated good to excellent. Soybeans were 96 percent emerged, with 63 percent rated good to excellent. Pasture and range conditions were more concerning, with 37 percent rated poor to very poor.
Far North, Hawaii & U.S. Territories
- Alaska: USDA’s weekly crop progress tables do not provide the same row-crop detail for Alaska that they provide for major producing states. Forage, livestock logistics, and short-season fieldwork remain the main agricultural concerns. Producers there continue to depend on local weather windows, feed availability, and transportation reliability.
- Hawaii: USDA’s weekly crop progress tables do not provide comparable row-crop ratings for Hawaii. Tropical crops, specialty crops, livestock feed costs, and transportation remain the key agricultural watch points. Island producers remain more exposed to shipping costs and localized weather disruptions than mainland row-crop producers.
- Puerto Rico: USDA’s weekly crop progress tables do not provide a comparable weekly crop-condition breakdown for Puerto Rico. Specialty crops, livestock feed availability, and storm-season preparation remain the main operational concerns. Producers will be watching rainfall patterns and transportation costs through the summer.
- U.S. Virgin Islands: USDA’s weekly crop progress tables do not provide a comparable weekly crop-condition breakdown for the U.S. Virgin Islands. Local agriculture remains tied to rainfall, storm risk, feed costs, and market access. Producers continue to face small-market logistics and weather exposure.
