July 3, 2012

For the week ending July 1, triple digit temperatures along with limited precipitation depleted soil moisture levels and caused crop conditions to decline, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Soil moisture levels are at 21% adequate or surplus compared to the 85% five-year average.

One quarter of the corn crop is in pollination stage while one quarter of the soybean crop is blooming, both 11 days ahead of average. Wheat harvest was three weeks ahead of average at 69%, while oat harvest made significant gains at 60% complete.

• Corn silked was 25%, compared to 0% last year and the 2% average. Corn conditions rated 4% very poor, 11% poor, 29% fair, 48% good, and 8% excellent, well below last year’s 83% good to excellent and 80% average. Irrigated corn conditions rated 70% good to excellent and dryland corn rated 35%. Much of the dryland corn acreage in the western two-thirds of the state rated poor or very poor.
   
• Soybeans blooming were 25%, ahead of 7 last year and 9 average. Soybean conditions rated 3% very poor, 13% poor, 39% fair, 42% good, and 3% excellent, well below last year’s 81% good to excellent and 79% average.
   
• Sorghum conditions rated 3% very poor, 15% poor, 47% fair, 34% good, and 1% excellent, well below last year’s 81% good to excellent and 76% average.
   
• Wheat ripe was 88%, compared to 16% last year and 23% average. Wheat harvested was 69%, compared to 1% last year and 21 days ahead of 5% average. Most of the unharvested fields were in the Panhandle.
   
• Oats harvest was 60% complete, compared to 0% last year and 1% average. Oats condition rated 1% very poor, 13% poor, 42% fair, 44% good, and 0% excellent, well below 85% good to excellent last year and 84% average.
   
• Dry bean condition rated 1% very poor, 8% poor, 47% fair, 41% good, and 3% excellent, well below 65% good to excellent last year and average.
   
• The second cutting of alfalfa was 83% complete, well ahead of 15% last year and 18% average. The third cutting of alfalfa was 4% complete. Alfalfa rated 14% very poor, 26% poor, 35% fair, 24% good, and 1% excellent, well below 85% good to excellent last year and 77% average.
   
• Wild hay harvest was 43% complete, ahead of 27% last year and 11% average. Wild hay conditions rated 8% very poor, 17% poor, 43% fair, 32% good, and 0% excellent, well below last year’s 75% good to excellent.
   
• Pasture and range conditions rated 20% very poor, 32% poor, 33% fair, 15% good, and 0% excellent, well below 81% good to excellent last year and 79% average.