Oct. 18, 2011

For the week ending October 16, soybean harvest remained the focus of field activities with progress on pace with last year and two weeks ahead of average, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Corn and sorghum harvest continued to advance with progress near average. Sugarbeet harvest was in full swing while dry bean and proso millet harvests were winding down. Seeding of the wheat crop neared completion with most of the crop having emerged.

• Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 5% poor, 18% fair, 55% good, and 20% excellent, near 74% good to excellent last week. Irrigated corn conditions rated 81% good to excellent and dryland corn rated 70%. Ninety-three percent of the corn had reach maturity, behind 99% last year but ahead of the 90% average. Corn harvest was at 30%, behind 47% last year but near 28% average.
   
• Soybean harvest was at 84%, near 86% last year but well ahead of 67% average.
   
• Winter wheat seeded was 95%, near 98% last year and 96% average. Wheat emerged was 85%, ahead of 79% last year and 80% average.
   
• Sorghum conditions rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 17% fair, 59% good, and 19% excellent, near 77% good to excellent last week. Sorghum mature was 91%, near 93% last year but ahead of 84% average. Sorghum harvested was 21%, behind 26% last year but ahead of 19% average.
   
• Proso millet harvest was 90%, near 92% last year but ahead of 83% average.
   
• Dry beans harvest was 96%, near 98% last year and 95% average.
   
• The fourth cutting of alfalfa was at 95%, ahead of 90% last year and 91% average.
   
• Pasture and range conditions rated 1% very poor, 9% poor, 28% fair, 55% good, and 7% excellent, below last year’s 70% good to excellent but above 56% average.