In this week’s report, USDA shows that nationwide, corn conditions in the combined good to excellent categories improved by two percentage points up to 64 percent. However, while many of the key producing states actually saw a decline in ratings, Illinois stood out like a sore thumb by improving ELEVEN points! That is sure to cause active discussion later today and tomorrow since conditions went down one point in Nebraska, Iowa, and North Dakota and down two points in neighboring Indiana.
In soybeans, the national condition rating remained unchanged at 60 percent good to excellent. But, just like in the corn, Illinois threw a shocking number into the mix as it lurched upward by 11 points in its rating! The disparity with neighboring states was even greater in the soybeans as Iowa and Ohio went down one point, Indiana went down two, South Dakota went down three while Nebraska and North Dakota both declined by four points!
Cotton conditions improved by five points nationwide to 65 percent led by the largest producing state of Texas posting a gain of nine points. On the minus side, Mississippi logged a six point decline in its rating.
Grain sorghum condition averaged out one point higher nationally at 63 percent good to excellent. But, there was a wide divergence in condition ratings with Texas and South Dakota improving by five and four points respectively while the central Plains states all saw declines in their ratings anywhere from one point in Colorado to five points lower in Nebraska.
Peanut condition ratings were all over the board from three points higher in North Carolina to three lower in Florida. Nationwide, the good to excellent condition rating went up one point to 74 percent.
Rice conditions had a wide spread from nine points higher in Louisiana to five points lower in Mississippi. When you average all the numbers together, you get an improvement in the national condition rating of three points up to 75 percent.
The spring wheat that remains in the field saw a one point improvement in condition, but the combined good to excellent rating is still at only 11 percent. The crop is rapidly being put out of its misery as spring wheat harvest has now advanced up to 38 percent complete - far ahead of the five year average of 21 percent. South Dakota has made the most spring wheat harvest progress at 72 percent.
Winter wheat harvest is all but done with 95 percent of the crop now out of the field.
Rice harvest is getting rolling in a big way in Louisiana with 33 percent of the crop now out of the field and Texas now 25 percent done. But, so far, they are the only two states showing harvest activity, so the national rice harvest completion comes in at only seven percent.
Pasture condition ratings declined in the vast majority of cattle producing states. Colorado showed the biggest decline in condition as it dropped eight points in the good to excellent rating. Bucking the trend were North and South Dakota which actually improved a small amount. But, even after improving by three points in South Dakota, the pasture conditions there remain 83 percent poor to very poor! North Dakota improved by one lonely point, but it still has only has 4 percent rated good to excellent and 79 percent is rated poor to very poor.
When it comes to topsoil moisture deficit conditions, Washington has a lock on the dubious distinction of having the top spot with 100 percent of its acreage short to very short. Montana, North Dakota, and Oregon all have at least 90 percent of their topsoil in short to very short moisture conditions.
In the subsoil moisture deficit conditions, we have most of the same cast of characters occupying the top spots. Washington reports 95 percent of its subsoil short to very short with Montana and Oregon at 90 percent or higher.
