Oct. 24, 2011

For the week ending October 23, hard freezing temperatures were recorded in many locations, ending the growing season and promoting the dry down of unharvested crops, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. High temperatures reached the 70s and lows dipped into the lower 20s.

Soybean harvest was winding down with progress two weeks ahead of average. Corn and sorghum harvests neared the half way point with sorghum harvest a week ahead of average. Sugarbeet harvest continued to advance while proso millet harvest neared completion.

Most of the wheat crop has emerged with conditions well above last year.

Crop Conditions

• Corn condition rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 14% fair, 58% good, and 20% excellent, near 75% good to excellent last week. Irrigated corn conditions rated 78% good to excellent and dryland corn rated 74%. Ninety-seven percent of the state's corn crop was mature, near last year's 100% and ahead of the 94% average. Corn harvest was at 49%, well behind 71% last year but ahead of the 39% average.
   
• Soybean harvest was at 93%, near 95% last year but well ahead of 76% average.
   
• Winter wheat conditions rated 0% very poor, 0% poor, 18% fair, 68% good, and 14% excellent, well above 40% good to excellent last year. Winter wheat seeding was 99% complete, equal to last year and near the 98% average. Wheat emerged was 93%, near the 90% for last year and average.
   
• Sorghum conditions rated 1% very poor, 9% poor, 16% fair, 59% good, and 15% excellent. Ninety-three percent of the state's sorghum crop was mature, near last year's 95% but ahead of the 89% average. Sorghum harvested was 46%, near last year's 49% but ahead of the 30% average.
   
• Proso millet harvest was 95%, near 96% last year but ahead of 89% average.