September 25, 2009

For the week ending September 20, warm, dry conditions helped crops progress toward harvest, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Dry bean harvest in the west is nearly half complete. The first fields of soybeans have been harvested. Seed corn, high moisture corn, and silage were being harvested. Producer activities included drilling winter wheat, baling hay, and preparing grain bins for storage.

Corn conditions rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 14% fair, 52% good, and 27% excellent, above last year’s 73% percent good or excellent rating. Irrigated fields rated 82% good or excellent while dryland fields rated 74%, both above year ago levels. Corn in the dent stage was 91%, behind last year’s 94% and the 96% average. Corn mature was 15%, behind last year’s 19% and twelve days behind the 44% average.

Soybean conditions rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 15% fair, 59% good, and 21% excellent, above last year’s 69% good or excellent condition. Soybeans turning color was 89%, ahead of last year’s 77% but even with the average. Soybeans dropping leaves was 40%, ahead of last year’s 34% but three days behind the 52% average. Soybeans harvested were 1%, even with last year but behind the 4% average.

Alfalfa conditions rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 21% fair, 56% good, and 18% excellent, above last year’s 67% good or excellent condition. Fourth cutting was 61% complete, well ahead of last year’s 42% and the 49% average.

Sorghum conditions rated 1% very poor, 3% poor, 22% fair, 56% good, and 18% excellent, near last year’s 76% good or excellent condition. Sorghum turning color was 74%, behind last year’s 83% and 91% average. Five percent of the sorghum was mature, even with last year but behind the 26% average.

Dry bean conditions rated 1% very poor, 7% poor, 21% fair, 63% good, and 8% excellent, above last year’s 60% good or excellent condition. Dry beans turning color were 95%, ahead of last year’s 87% and 92% average. Dry beans dropping leaves was 72%, well ahead of last year’s 49% and ahead of the 64% average. Dry beans harvested were 45%, well ahead of last year’s 9% and eight days ahead of the 25% average.

Winter wheat seeding was 56% complete, ahead of last year’s 40% and the 48% average. Winter wheat emergence was at 22%, well ahead of last year’s 6% and the 14% average.

Proso millet harvested was 29%, ahead of last year’s 27% but behind the 39% average.

Pasture and range conditions rated 1% very poor, 5% poor, 21% fair, 62% good, and 11% excellent, above last year’s 57% good or excellent condition.