As of this week, the United States Department of Agriculture will no longer include crop condition ratings in its weekly Crop Progress Reports for the remainder of the year for corn and soybeans. In USDA’s latest report, released on Monday, October 29, 2018 the US corn harvest seems to be keeping up with its historic pace while bean harvest has fallen back a bit behind schedule. Wet weather has subsided some across the Corn Belt but is expected to fall back into a wet pattern over the long-term giving farmers only limited opportunities to harvest their grain.
This week, the US corn harvest is at 63% complete, ahead of last year’s harvest by 9 points and on track with the five-year average of 63%.
Soybean harvest falling short again this week at 72%, behind last year and the average of 81%.
Cotton harvest, meanwhile, is nearing the halfway point but falling between last year’s progress at this time (45%) and the average (43%) at 44% complete currently.
Pasture and range conditions again unchanged nationally from the week prior at 20% poor to very poor, 30 fair and 50% good to excellent. Our Southern Plains region saw a moderate increase overall in the quality of pasture and range conditions, except for Texas which declined by one point from 58% good to excellent last week to 57% this week. Kansas’ good to excellent rating climbed three points this week up to 53% and Oklahoma’s up significantly from 49% last week to 61% in this latest report. Several western states of agricultural significance continue to struggle with poor range conditions, though some broad improvement is noted.
To review the complete USDA Crop Progress report for Monday, October 29, 2018 -
click here.
Across our three-state coverage…
Winter wheat planted in Oklahoma reached 78 percent, down 3 points from the previous year and down 10 points from normal. Winter wheat emerged reached 68 percent, unchanged from the previous year but down 5 points from normal. Canola planted reached 64 percent, down 30 points from the previous year and down 32 points from normal. Canola emerged reached 30 percent, down 43 points from the previous year and down 51 points from normal. Corn harvested reached 84 percent, up 2 points from the previous year but down 3 points from normal. Sorghum mature reached 84 percent, down 11 points from the previous year and down 13 points from normal. Sorghum harvested reached 60 percent, up 2 points from the previous year but down 6 points from normal. Cotton bolls opening reached 95 percent, down 2 points from the previous year but unchanged from normal. Cotton harvested reached 23 percent, down 8 points from the previous year and down 4 points from normal.
Click here to view the complete Crop Progress report for Oklahoma.
In Kansas, winter wheat’s condition rated 3 percent very poor, 15 poor, 40 fair, 36 good, and 6 excellent. Winter wheat planted was 76 percent, behind 82 last year and 89 for the five-year average. Emerged was 62 percent, ahead of 55 last year, but behind 70 average. Corn harvested was 76 percent, equal to last year, and behind 84 average. Soybean condition rated 4 percent very poor, 11 poor, 32 fair, 43 good, and 10 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 96 percent, near 98 last year and 99 average. Harvested was 42 percent, well behind 71 last year and 70 average. Sorghum condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 23 fair, 56 good, and 14 excellent. Sorghum mature was 95 percent, near 94 last year, and equal to average. Harvested was 32 percent, behind 41 last year, and well behind 55 average. Cotton condition rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 36 fair, 54 good, and 5 excellent. Cotton bolls opening was 88 percent, near 92 last year and 87 average. Harvested was 4 percent, behind 12 last year and 11 average.
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