USDA Weekly Crop Progress

By DTN Staff

OMAHA (DTN) -- Corn harvest is complete for 2015 and winter wheat planting is nearly done, according to USDA's latest weekly Crop Progress report.

Winter wheat planting is 96% complete, compared to 94% last week and a 100% five-year average. Ninety percent of the crop is emerged, compared to 87% last week and a 90% five-year average.

"USDA said that 53% of winter wheat was rated good-to-excellent, resulting in a one-point increase in the DTN Winter Wheat Condition Index to 142, which was down from 154 a year ago, but above the five-year average of 125," said DTN Analyst Todd Hultman. "Monday's report is neutral for wheat."

Ninety-four percent of sorghum is harvested, compared to 91% last week and a 93% five-year average.

Seventy percent of the cotton crop is harvested, compared to 64% last week and an 82% five-year average.

The following are highlights from weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states. To view the full reports from each state, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/….

Colorado

Despite widespread precipitation, fall harvest neared completion this past week. Overall, farmers had 3.9 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 5% very short, 29% short, 62% adequate, and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 9% very short, 29% short, 60% adequate, and 2% surplus. The state's corn crop was 91% harvested, near 92% last year and 96% on average. Winter wheat condition was rated 48% in good to excellent condition.

Illinois

Widespread precipitation this past week left farmers with only 2.9 days suitable for field work. Overall, the state averaged 2.91 inches, 2.26 inches above normal, and temperatures were 1.3 degrees above normal. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 3% very short, 14% short, 75% adequate, and 8% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 3% very short, 23% short, 68% adequate, and 6% surplus. The state's wheat crop was 95% emerged, well above 74% last year and just ahead of 91% on average. Wheat conditions were rated 64% in good to excellent condition.

Indiana

A wintry week brought fieldwork and harvest to a close. A late week winter storm brought reports of up to 6 inches of snow and localized flooding. Overall, farmers had 4.1 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 3% very short, 21% short, 67% adequate, and 9% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 5% very short, 26% short, 63% adequate, and 6% surplus. Ninety-seven percent of the wheat crop has emerged, up from 87% last year and 93% on average. The winter wheat was rated 69% in good to excellent condition.

Iowa

Final fieldwork activities ground to a halt thanks to wet conditions and snowfall late in the week. Overall, a statewide average of 5.9 inches of snow fell this past week. The state averaged 1.79 inches of precipitation, up from a weekly norm of 0.45, making it the wettest week since mid-August. Temperatures averaged two degrees above normal. Farmers had only 2.9 days suitable for fieldwork, which were spent harvesting corn, hauling manure, and applying fertilizer. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 4% short, 84% adequate, and 12% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 2% very short, 9% short, 81% adequate, and 8% surplus. The state's corn crop was 98% harvested, and grain movement was rated 34% light, 27% moderate and 9% heavy. On-farm grain storage was rated 31% short, 66% adequate, and 3% surplus. Off-farm grain storage was rated 22% short, 74% adequate, and 4% surplus.

Kansas

Temperatures averaged above normal and the state received up to two inches of rainfall this past week. Overall, farmers had four days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 8% very short, 27% short, 62% adequate, and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 11% very short, 33% short, 55% adequate, and 1% surplus. The state's winter wheat crop was rated 47% good to excellent condition. Sorghum was 95% harvested and cotton was 63% harvested.

Michigan

After taking advantage of warm, dry weather early in the week, farmers were forced out of the field by a winter storm that brought cold weather and snowfall amounts ranging from 1 to 16 inches. Overall, farmers had 4.4 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 5% short, 78% adequate, and 19% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 2% very short, 14% short, 77% adequate, and 7% surplus. The state's corn crop was 94% harvested, well ahead of 68% last year and 86% on average. Winter wheat condition was rated 77% in good to excellent condition.

Minnesota

A soggy combination of heavy rain and snowfall left little time for field work this past week. A late-week plunge in temperatures even produced some frozen ground in northern reaches of the state. Overall, farmers had only 2.2 days suitable for field work, which they primarily spent finishing fall tillage, applying fertilizer, and baling corn stalks. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 1% very short, 9% short, 79% adequate, and 11% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 3% very short, 16% short, 74% adequate, and 7% surplus.

Missouri

The winter storm that brought heavy snowfall in other regions left parts of Missouri with up to 5 inches of rainfall this past week. Overall, rainfall amounts averaged 4.28 inches, 3.37 inches above normal. Temperatures averaged 44.9, 1.3 degrees above normal. Farmers had an average of 2.3 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 2% very short, 15% short, 71% adequate, and 12% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 6% very short, 21% short, 67% adequate, and 6% surplus. The state's soybean crop was 96% harvested, just up from 94% last year and the same as the five-year average. Winter wheat was 96% planted and 90% emerged, compared to 93% planted and 72% emerged last year and 96% planted and 82% emerged on average. Wheat condition was rated 49% in good to excellent condition. Cotton was 92% harvested and sorghum was 94% harvested.

Nebraska

Snow blanketed western counties early in the week and northeastern counties over the weekend. Rain preceded the snow in many areas with an inch or more common in the eastern two-thirds of the state. Field work came to a halt as soils became too wet or snow-covered to work. Harvest was near completion in most areas except for the panhandle. Temperatures averaged above normal across the east and below normal in western areas. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 5% very short, 21% short, 71% adequate and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 5% very short, 25% short, 69% adequate and 1% surplus. Corn harvested was at 95%, equal to last year, and near 97% for the five-year average. Sorghum harvested was at 95%, slightly behind the average of 99%. Winter wheat condition was rated 63% good to excellent.

North Dakota

Temperatures ranged from 2 to 6 degrees above normal over much of the state this past week. Rainfall of up to half an inch was received in the east, while the west remained dry. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 3% very short, 20% short, 73% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 3% very short, 25% short, 68% adequate and 4% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 69% good to excellent.

Ohio

Harvest was virtually complete in Ohio as of Sunday. Winter Wheat is in dormancy, and appears to be in good condition, according to reports. On-farm activities this past week included installing tile, equipment maintenance and clearing fence rows. Statewide, topsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 17% short, 71% adequate and 9% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 4% very short, 21% short, 69% adequate and 6% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 69% good to excellent.

Oklahoma

No report was available at the time this article was posted.

South Dakota

Near-normal temperatures and significant moisture brought fall field work to a halt across the state this past week. The week started off with rain and sleet and ended with a snowstorm that brought significant accumulations to the south and east. Statewide, topsoil moisture supplies were rated 8% very short, 26% short, 65% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 7% very short, 29% short, 63% adequate and 1% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 69% good to excellent. Sorghum harvested was at 95%, near 98% for last year and the five-year average.

Texas

Isolated areas of east Texas received upwards of 5 inches of rainfall. Meanwhile, areas stretching from the Northern Low Plains to the Upper Coast experienced precipitation ranging from 0.1 to upwards of 2 inches. The rest of the state ranged from no measurable precipitation to upwards of 0.1 inch. Some counties in the northwest portion of the High Plains recorded snow, along with blizzard conditions in a few areas. Statewide, topsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 12% short, 67% adequate and 18% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 3% very short, 17% short, 69% adequate and 11% surplus. Corn was 93% harvested, behind the average of 99%. Cotton was 60% harvested, behind the five-year average of 75%. Sorghum was 91% harvested, even with the average pace. Soybeans were 88% harvested, behind the average of 93%. Winter wheat was 74% emerged, behind the average of 78%. Winter wheat condition was rated 52% good to excellent. Oats were 66% emerged and were rated 49% in good-to-excellent condition.

Wisconsin

Daytime highs were in the upper 50s for most of Wisconsin at the beginning of this past week, with heavy rain keeping farmers out of fields. A strong cold front moved through the state on Friday, bringing high winds and plunging temperatures as well as a band of snow across the southern half of the state. Snow totals ranged from a dusting to over 18 inches, with the highest totals near the Illinois border. Daytime highs were below freezing statewide on Saturday and Sunday, and overnight lows fell into the teens and single digits. Reporters in northern Wisconsin noted that bare ground was beginning to freeze, helping combines get to the last of the standing corn. However, the combination of snow cover and frozen soil put the brakes on tillage activities for much of the state. Statewide, topsoil moisture was rated 1% very short, 5% short, 76% adequate and 18% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 1% very short, 9% short, 81% adequate and 9% surplus. Corn harvest was 92% complete as of Sunday, ahead of the five-year average of 88%. Winter wheat condition was rated 85% good to excellent. Fall tillage was 80% complete.

National Crop Progress Summary
	This	Last	Last	5-Yr
	Week	Week	Year	Avg
Cotton Harvested	70	64	76	82
Sorghum Harvested	94	91	87	93
Winter Wheat Planted	96	94	99	100
Winter Wheat Emerged	90	87	91	90

National Crop Condition Summary
(VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent)
	This Week						Last Week						Last Year
	VP	P	F	G	E		VP	P	F	G	E		VP	P	F	G	E
Winter Wht	2	8	37	42	11		2	8	38	41	11		1	5	36	49	9

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