April 26, 2011

For the week ending April 24, cool, wet conditions continued for the second week, keeping soils wet and limiting spring planting activities, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.

Significant rainfall occurred in the Panhandle while the eastern two-thirds of the state recorded less than one inch in most locations. This, coupled with temperatures well below normal, resulted in poor drying conditions with less than two days considered suitable for fieldwork.

Temperatures averaged 6 to 12 degrees below normal across the state. High temperatures ranged from the low 70s in the southern half of Nebraska to lows below freezing in all but the extreme southeast. Limited amounts of precipitation fell across eastern and southern counties while accumulations of an inch or more were common in the Panhandle.

Field Crops Report

• Corn planting advanced slowly to 5% complete, well behind last year’s 20% and a 15% average. Cool soil conditions have kept corn from emerging.
   
• Wheat conditions rated 2% very poor, 14% poor, 40% fair, 40% good, and 4% excellent, below last year’s 73% good to excellent and 62% average. Wheat jointed was 10%, below last year’s 15% and 19% average.
   
• Oats planted were at 68%, behind last year’s 83% and 78% average. Oats emerged was at 23%, behind 44% last year and 32% average.
   
• Alfalfa rated 0% very poor, 2% poor, 22% fair, 71% good, and 5 excellent, below last year’s 85% good to excellent.
   
• Pasture and range conditions rated 0% very poor, 5% poor, 28% fair, 62% good, and 5% excellent, well below last year’s 83% good to excellent but near 65% average.