In this week’s report, USDA shows the national corn conditionrating declined one percentage point to 58 percent in the combined good to excellent categories. Illinois reported a five point drop in its corn condition, but Nebraska, South Dakota, and Minnesota all reported a two point improvement this week. Corn harvest was just getting rolling in the key producing areas, so the national corn harvest pace stands at just four percent complete versus a five year average of five percent. In the I-80 Corridor, Indiana reported that two percent of its crop was out of the field as of Sunday.
The nation’s soybean condition rating remained unchanged at 57 percent good to excellent. Similar to the corn, Illinois saw a drop of four points this week. However, Ohio posted the biggest improvement - gaining six points while Minnesota picked up three points.
Cotton condition gained three percentage points nationwide this week, bumping the rating up to 64 percent. The biggest gainer was Georgia tacking on five more points while the rating for the top producing state of Texas went up by four and Alabama went up by two. North Carolina declined by two points this week. Cotton harvest is running three percentage points behind the average pace with five percent now out of the field. Texas leads the way with 11 percent harvested while Arizona checks in with eight percent.
Peanut conditions were higher in most states this week resulting in a national average rating of 77 percent good to excellent - an improvement of three points compared to last week. South Carolina looks to have a superior crop this year and it improved yet another nine points this week bringing its rating up to an amazing 96 percent good to excellent. The top producing state of Georgia also added five points. Peanut harvest is just getting a good start with two percent of the nation’s crop now taken out of the field. Florida is far and away the leader with 13 percent harvested.
Rice conditions slid by one point, but remained at a relatively high 74 percent good to excellent. Missouri reported the biggest swing to the upside as it gained seven points. On the other hand Mississippi saw a six point decline. Rice harvest has moved up to 40 percent complete this week which is three points behind the average. Louisiana and Texas are both coming down the home stretch with 89 percent out of the field. Mississippi is now exactly half done.
Grain sorghum (milo) conditions stayed the same at 57 percent good to excellent, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. If you look at the details, Colorado posted a five point improvement, but Oklahoma had a huge drop of 14 percentage points from one week ago! Nebraska and South Dakota both had declines of three points. Grain sorghum harvest is 21 percent completed nationwide, but the vast majority of activity comes from Texas where 69 percent is already done. The central Plains states are just getting started.
Winter wheat planting is getting into high gear as 12 percent is now sown nationwide. In the Plains, Nebraska shows the fastest progress with 17 percent now in the ground and South Dakota close behind at 13 percent.
Most cattle production states in the nation’s heartland saw sizable declines in their pasture condition ratings. Wyoming dropped 10 points in its good to excellent rating, Oklahoma went down by nine, and Colorado declined by eight points. The only state to report an improvement in conditions was Kansas which showed a two percent improvement. South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wyoming all reflect the ravages of the ongoing drought with only five percent or less in the good to excellent categories.
Yet again, Washington state tops the list of states with the most severe topsoil moisture deficits. ALL 100 percent of its acres are considered to be short to very short on moisture. Montana is also struggling with 96 percent. Washington also leads the subsoil moisture deficit section with 99 percent of its acres reported to be short to very short of moisture. Just as in the topsoil category, Montana comes in second with 94 percent rated short to very short.
