Limited rainfall and above normal temperatures provided excellent harvest conditions for the week ending Oct. 19, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Good progress was made on soybean harvest, while producers waited for grain moisture levels, especially in irrigated corn, to dry down further in corn.

Sugarbeet harvest in the west was slowed due to the warm conditions.Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3% very short, 23% short, 72% adequate, and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 8% very short, 23% short, 67% adequate, and 2% surplus.

Crop Reports

Eighty-nine percent of the winter wheat crop had emerged, ahead of 71% last year and the five-year average of 75%.

Corn conditions rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 18% fair, 51% good, and 24% excellent. Ninety-four percent of the corn crop was mature, near last year's 91% and the long-term average of 93%. Corn harvested was 28%, near lst year's 31%, but behind the average of 45%.

Soybean conditions rated 1% very poor, 5 poor, 19 fair, 54 good, and 21 excellent. Soybeans harvested was 69%, behind 77% last year and the average of 81%.

Sorghum conditions rated 1% very poor, 5% poor, 32% fair, 40% good, and 22% excellent. Sorghum mature was 95%, near 96% last year and 91% average. Sorghum harvested was 27%, near 31% last year and the average of 32%.

Dry beans harvested was 92%, near 93% last year and 94% average.

Alfalfa hay fourth cutting was 94% complete, ahead of 88% last year, but equal to the average.

Proso millet harvest was 93% complete, ahead of 86% last year and the long-term average of 85%.

Pasture and range conditions rated 5% very poor, 7% poor, 32% fair, 48% good, and 8% excellent.

The national report is available online at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProg//2010s/2014/CropProg-10-20-2014.pdf