In this week’s report, USDA pegs the national corn planting progress as of Sunday, June 12th at 97 percent, so for all intents and purposes, it’s done for the year. All of the I-80 states are at 93 percent or above, so this will be the last planting progress update for corn this year. Even North Dakota has reached 90 percent. The only state that hasn’t reached 90 percent is Pennsylvania with 89.
Corn condition showed a slight decline nationally with the good to excellent rating sliding to 72 percent - down just one point from a week ago. In the important I-80 Corridor encompassing the key corn production areas between Nebraska and Ohio, Nebraska dropped a significant 10 points down to 65 percent good to excellent. A possible reason for the decline could very well be a wide assortment of weather conditions ranging from continuing drought to heavy rains, flooding, wind and widespread hail damage over the past week. Ohio condition dropped four points along with Illinois. Iowa has, by far, the best crop rating with 86 percent making the top combined grade.
Soybean planting is keeping pace with its five-year average at 88 percent complete nationwide. In the I-80 Corridor, only Ohio remains under 90 percent planted with 80 percent of its crop in the ground. Outside that corridor, as expected, North Dakota is running behind schedule with only 75 percent planted compared to its average of 94 percent. It is rather surprising, though, that Kansas only has 68 percent of its crop planted versus its average pace of 79. Missouri is also dragging its feet just a little with 71 percent planted compared to its five-year average of 76.
The first soybean condition rating of the season shows 70 percent of the US crop is in good to excellent condition. In the I-80 Corridor, we have a bookend effect with the best quality crop showing up in the middle “I States” while Nebraska and Ohio have lower ratings. Iowa reports a strong 82 percent of its acreage is in the good to excellent categories. Illinois has 76 percent and Indiana comes in with 73 percent. However, in Nebraska the rating drops to 69 percent and in Ohio, the combined rating is only 59 percent.
The national cotton planting progress stands at 90 percent completed. The top producing state of Texas has reached 89 percent while the other top producing states are all over 90 percent done.
Cotton condition nationwide is rated only 46 percent good to excellent which is down two points from last week. Texas still has only 25 percent of its crop making the good to excellent rating and that is another two point decline from a week ago. Notably, Mississippi reported at nine percentage point decline. Alabama also saw a decline of six points, but it still maintains the highest rating of 90 percent this week.
Grain sorghum (milo) planting has reached 66 percent complete nationwide - five points behind its average pace. In the Plains, Texas and Nebraska are tied for the lead with 90 percent of their crop in the ground. Colorado made some very good progress, but still lags its average by 10 points. Oklahoma worked its way up to 45 percent planted, but that is still running seven points behind where it should be by now.
Grain sorghum condition nationwide is pegged at 47 percent good to excellent - a one point improvement from last week. However, Nebraska had a 14 point drop in its condition rating as it slid down to 58 percent. Colorado went down by 10 points to 59 percent. The southern Plains states saw slight improvements in their ratings.
Rice condition varies considerably across the nation with the US crop now rated at 73 percent good to excellent - a small improvement of one point from last week. The big story is that the Texas crop deteriorated by nine points since last week - bringing its rating down to only 35 percent. Louisiana and Missouri saw their ratings improve by five and six points respectively.
Peanut planting is basically done nationally with 94 percent complete. Oklahoma still trails with 60 percent planted versus its average of 79 percent.
Peanut condition dropped two points nationwide to 71 percent good to excellent, but that figure masks a massive drop in the Carolinas from one week ago. North Carolina posted a huge drop of 25 points since last week - falling to 60 percent in the good to excellent categories. South Carolina registered a 16 point drop and it now has 81 percent in the combined categories. Florida improved by six points, but Alabama still has the best rated crop with an amazing 96 percent garnering a good to excellent ranking.
Spring wheat planting has finally edged up to 94 percent complete nationwide compared to its five-year average pace of 99 percent. While North Dakota is up to 91 percent and Minnesota is up to 92 percent, USDA will likely consider them done with all the acres that farmers “intend to plant” this year which will probably result in them being classified as 100 percent complete by next week.
In the initial spring wheat condition rating of the year, the crop is reportedly 54 percent good to excellent across the nation. Washington state has, by far, the best quality crop so far with 81 percent in the good to excellent categories. On the other extreme, Montana has only 15 percent making that classification.
Nationally, oats planting is basically done, so there will be no more updates for that crop.
Winter wheat condition picked up one point to land at 31 percent in the combined good to excellent categories. Oklahoma did see a nice improvement of seven points since a week ago, but it still has only 17 percent of its crop that can qualify for a good to excellent rating. Texas only had five percent achieving the good to excellent categories, but that is becoming a moot point since harvest is rapidly moving northward and the growing season is coming to an end there.
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, winter wheat harvest is starting to surge and has reached 10 percent complete nationwide compared to a 12 percent average - although the best producing states are still to the north of where the combines are cutting. Texas is already up to 53 percent cut with rapid progress being made due to low yields and triple digit heat which lead to faster movement through the fields. USDA says Oklahoma is now up to 32 percent cut out and cutting has just started in southern Kansas.
Pasture conditions in the Plains showed Nebraska pastureland improving by 16 points in the combined good to excellent categories. South Dakotas improved by 12 points and Oklahoma went up by 11. With all of the moisture received this spring, North Dakota has lush pastures with 70 percent making the good to excellent grade.
In the topsoil moisture deficit category (generally considered to measure the top four inches of soil representing the seed planting and sprouting zone), New Mexico proved that it could get even worse as it added another six points to the short to very short categories so it now stands at 94 percent! Texas also saw a six point decline in topsoil moisture. The eye popping figure on this report was North Carolina which saw a huge decline of 24 points in the topsoil moisture availability. Recent storms that swept across North Carolina this weekend may change that for next week’s report, so stay tuned.
In the subsoil moisture deficit category (considered to measure deep soil moisture down to a few feet where the crop roots would extend downward), New Mexico added yet another two points to its deficit total to come up with 95 percent short to very short. Texas and Montana both saw a four point increase in their deficit totals to put them at 81 and 79 percent respectively.
