June 6, 2012

Half of Nebraska’s wheat crop had turned color by last weekend and harvest will be several weeks earlier than normal, the Nebraska Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Tuesday.

Rain in the east improved growing conditions while a lack of rain in western Nebraska caused conditions to continue to decline.

Crop Conditions

• Corn condition rated 4% poor, 21% fair, 64% good, and 11% excellent, above last year’s 70% good to excellent but below the 78% average.
• Soybeans emergence was at 89%, ahead of 59% last year and 11 days ahead of the 60% average. Soybean condition rated 5% poor, 24% fair, 60% good, and 11% excellent.
• Wheat condition rated 3% very poor, 13% poor, 40% fair, 41% good, and 3% excellent, below 55% good to excellent last year and the 65% average.
• Sorghum planting was 82% complete, one week ahead of 65% last year and average. Sorghum emergence was at 61%, ahead of 30% last year and the 32% average. Sorghum conditions rated 2% poor, 37% fair, 58% good, and 3% excellent.
• Sixty percent of the oat crop had headed,  well ahead of 9% last year and 18 days ahead of 18% average. Oats conditions rated 4% poor, 28% fair, 62% good, and 6% excellent, below Wheat turning color was 53%, 20 days ahead of 1% average.
• Dry bean planting was 54% complete, well ahead of 16% last year and seven days ahead of the 36% average. Dry bean emergence was at 5%, ahead of 2% last year and the average of 7%.
• Proso millet was 54% planted, well ahead of the average of 9%.
• The first cutting of alfalfa was 85% complete, well ahead of 22% last year and 20 days ahead of the average of 33%. The second cutting of alfalfa was 7% complete. Alfalfa rated 2% very poor, 10% poor, 35% fair, 47% good, and 6% excellent, below 78% good to excellent last year and 74% average.