In this week’s report, the US corn harvest progress is up to 87 percent complete - 11 points ahead of its five-year average. In the I-80 Corridor, Nebraska is 90 percent done - 15 points ahead of its average pace! The “3-I” states are all well into the 80’s and even Ohio is well ahead of its normal pace with 75 percent of its acreage already in the bin compared to a 62 percent average.
The national soybean harvest is all over but the shouting with 94 percent of all acres now harvested. In the I-80 Corridor, Nebraska is done and all the other states in that Corridor show progress in the 90’s, so farmers are quickly finishing up.
Cotton harvest is now 62 percent complete nationwide which is seven points ahead of its five-year average. Mississippi is almost finished with 92 percent of its acreage now harvested. North Carolina is at 71 percent and Alabama is close behind with 70 percent. The largest producing state of Texas has just passed the halfway mark with 51 percent of its crop now taken out of the field.
Grain sorghum harvest is now 87 percent complete nationwide - eight points ahead of its five-year average. Texas is finished. South Dakota leads the other major producing states with 89 percent cut while Nebraska reports 87 percent completion this week.
Peanut harvest is pegged at 86 percent complete as of Sunday which is six points ahead of its five-year average. Virginia is basically finished with 98 percent of its acres harvested. Florida reports 94 percent completion. The top producing state of Georgia is tied with North Carolina at 89 percent.
Winter wheat planting nationwide is nearly done with 92 percent completion. In the Plains, Nebraska and South Dakota have finished sowing the new crop. Kansas reports that it is 93 percent complete with Oklahoma and Texas not far behind.
The national winter wheat condition report showed only a two point improvement in the good to excellent categories - nudging it up only slightly to 30 percent this week. That would still be one of the poorest starts to the growing season in decades. As of Sunday, 34 percent of the crop is still rated poor to very poor. One silver lining is that Texas saw a 10 point improvement in the last seven days thanks to recent rains - boosting it up to what is still a meager 14 percent in the good to excellent rating where it is tied with Oklahoma.
In the topsoil moisture deficit category (generally considered to measure the top four inches of soil representing the seed planting and sprouting zone), South Dakota claims the top (driest) spot this week with 87 percent of its acres either short or very short on moisture. Oklahoma actually saw a reduction of six points in its driest categories from a week ago, but it still comes in with the second driest ratings. One notable move on the list is Kansas which saw an 11 percentage point improvement in its moisture ratings.
In the subsoil moisture deficit category (considered to measure deep soil moisture down to a few feet where the crop roots would extend downward), Oklahoma reclaims the top spot with 89 percent of its acres in the short to very short moisture categories. Nebraska and Kansas are tied for the second spot with 88 percent.
USDA Crop Progress 221107.pdf
