OMAHA (DTN) — Bouts of extreme heat in much of the Corn Belt are starting to have a bigger influence on crop condition ratings, USDA-NASS stated in its weekly Crop Progress report. The percentage of corn and soybean crops rated good to excellent dropped 2 to 3 percentage points on Tuesday’s report, which covered blistering hot days before the Labor Day holiday.
CORN
— Crop progress: USDA said 93% of the corn was in the dough stage and 67% was dented, both slightly above the five-year average pace; 18% of the crop is mature.
— Crop condition: USDA said 53% of the corn crop was rated good to excellent as of Sept. 3, down from 56% last week and one point lower than a year ago. Illinois fell 10 points to 57% good to excellent, while Iowa fell 5 points to 49%. Kansas and Missouri were the worst-rated at 33% and 32% good to excellent, respectively, said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini.
SOYBEANS
— Crop progress: USDA said 95% of soybeans were setting pods, up from the five-year average of 94% for this time of year, and 16% of the crop was dropping leaves.
— Crop condition: USDA said 53% of the soybean crop was rated good to excellent as of Sept. 3, down from 58% last week and compared to 57% last year. Illinois dropped 10 points to 58%, while Iowa fell 4 points to just 49% good to excellent. Kansas is also the worst-rated, at 25% and down 12 points from last week, Mantini added. That portion of the national crop rated as poor to very poor rose 3 points to 17%
SPRING WHEAT
— Harvest progress: USDA said spring wheat harvest is 74% complete as of Sept. 3, just slightly behind the 77% average. Minnesota is ahead of the average pace at 85%, while North Dakota is still lagging at 64% done compared to the average of 73%, according to Mantini.
Nebraska:
- For the week ending September 3, 2023, there were 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 28% very short, 37% short, 34% adequate, and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 29% very short, 38% short, 32% adequate, and 1% surplus.
Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 9% very poor, 16% poor, 24% fair, 40% good, and
11% excellent. Corn dough was 96%, near 94% last year and 95% for the five-year average.
Dented was 76%, near 72% both last year and average. Mature was 24%, ahead of 17% last year
and 13% average.
Soybean condition rated 9% very poor, 17% poor, 27% fair, 38% good, and 9% excellent.
Soybeans setting pods was 96%, near 100% last year and 97% average. Dropping leaves was
30%, ahead of 23% last year and 18% average.
Winter wheat planted was 2%, near 1% both last year and average.
Sorghum condition rated 4% very poor, 10% poor, 34% fair, 36% good, and 16% excellent.
Sorghum coloring was 67%, ahead of 54% last year and 62% average. Mature was 3%, near 4%
last year and 5% average.
Dry edible bean condition rated 1% very poor, 4% poor, 28% fair, 60% good, and 7% excellent.
Dry edible beans setting pods was 93%, near 89% last year and 96% average. Dropping leaves
was 23%, ahead of 14% last year, but near 27% average.
Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 9% very poor, 16% poor, 32%
fair, 36% good, and 7% excellent.
Kansas:
For the week ending September 3, 2023, there were 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 33% very short, 42% short, 24% adequate, and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 30% very short, 44% short, 26% adequate, and 0% surplus.
Field Crops Report: Winter wheat planted was 1%.
Corn condition rated 14% very poor, 19% poor, 34% fair, 28% good, and 5% excellent. Corn
dough was 95%, near 91% last year and 94% for the five-year average. Dented was 83%, ahead
of 72% last year and 75% average. Mature was 39%, near 36% last year, and ahead of 28%
average. Harvested was 6%, behind 15% last year, and equal to average.
Soybean condition rated 16% very poor, 24% poor, 35% fair, 22% good, and 3% excellent.
Soybeans setting pods was 92%, ahead of 84% last year and 87% average. Dropping leaves was
19%, ahead of 12% last year and 11% average.
Sorghum condition rated 11% very poor, 18% poor, 35% fair, 31% good, and 5% excellent.
Sorghum headed was 90%, ahead of 85% last year, but near 93% average. Coloring was 51%,
ahead of 40% last year, but near 53% average. Mature was 11%, ahead of 3% last year and 5%
average. Harvested was 2%, near 1% last year.
Cotton condition rated 3% very poor, 10% poor, 46% fair, 40% good, and 1% excellent. Cotton
setting bolls was 93%, behind 100% last year, but near 92% average. Bolls opening was 37%,
ahead of 27% last year and 19% average.
Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 20% very poor, 27% poor, 33%
fair, 19% good, and 1% excellent.
