September 26, 2011

For the week ending September 25, dry weather allowed for harvesting to pick up momentum, but progress was limited due to high grain moisture levels, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Frost was recorded in portions of Nebraska, however, a statewide hard freeze has yet to occur. Harvest of corn silage, high moisture corn, and seed corn were winding down. Dry bean harvest was near the halfway point and sugarbeet harvest has begun in the west. About one quarter of the winter wheat crop has emerged.

Temperatures for the week averaged 4 to 8 degrees below normal for the eastern half of the state and from near normal to 4 degrees below normal for the western half. Highs were in the 80s and lows were in the 30s. Very little rain fell during the week. The southeast area had the highest accumulation, with almost 1/10 inch of precipitation. The rest of the state was mostly dry.

• Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 17% fair, 55% good, and 21% excellent, below 81% good to excellent last year but near the 75% average. Irrigated corn conditions rated 79% good to excellent and dryland corn rated 69%. Corn mature was 52%, well behind 74% last year and the 57% average. Corn harvest was at 6%, behind 9% last year but equal to average.
   
• Soybean condition rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 17% fair, 57% good, and 22% excellent, above 76% good to excellent last year and 74% average. Soybeans turning color was 92%, behind 94% last year and average. Soybeans dropping leaves was 47%, well behind 76% last year and 67% average. Soybean harvest was just underway.
   
• Winter wheat seeded was 66%, equal to last year but ahead of the 63% average. Twenty-seven percent of the wheat crop had emerged, ahead of 22% last year and near the 26% average.
   
• Proso millet harvest was 37% complete, behind 59% last year and the 49% average.
   
• Sorghum condition rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 19% fair, 58% good, and 19% excellent, above last year’s good to excellent rating of 72% and average. Sorghum turning color was 95%, equal to last year but ahead of 93% average. Sorghum mature was 34%, behind 41% last year and near 35% average. Sorghum harvested was 2%, equal to last year and average.
   
• Dry bean condition rated 3% very poor, 13% poor, 22% fair, 50% good, and 12% excellent, below 66% good to excellent last year. Dry beans turning color was 97%, behind 100% last year but equal to average. Dry beans dropping leaves were 91%, near last year’s 90% but ahead of 81% average. Dry beans harvest was 49%, well behind 76% last year but near 50% average.
   
• Alfalfa rated 0% very poor, 3% poor, 23% fair, 63% good, and 11% excellent, below 78% good to excellent last year. The fourth cutting of alfalfa was at 82%, ahead of 75% last year and 68% average.