Above-Average Pace Returns For Missouri Soybean Planting

Missouri farmers picked up the pace on soybean planting, increasing how far ahead of normal progress is.  USDA’s weekly Crop Progress report indicates that 85 percent of beans are in the ground, and 65 percent have emerged.  One-fifth of Missouri’s beans were planted in the past week.  Last year, 76 percent of beans had been sown, and 57 percent had emerged.  As of Sunday, 58 percent of beans are in good or excellent condition, down one point from last week.  Four percent are considered poor.  Corn emergence around the state is at 97 percent.  56 percent is rated good to excellent, also down one point, while eight percent is rated poor or very poor.

Cotton planting in the Bootheel has neared completion, and one sixth of the state’s crop is already squaring.  68 percent is rated good, compared to seven percent poor, both unchanged from last week.  98 percent of Missouri rice has emerged, 12 points ahead of a year ago and five points better than the five-year average.  None of the crop has headed, though.  Two-thirds of rice remain good to excellent, but six percent have fallen into poor condition.

The first two percent of Missouri wheat has been harvested, still well behind the 12-percent figure from last year and the five-year average of 20 percent.  Temperatures six degrees above normal, along with half the normal precipitation last week, caused a significant drop in winter wheat quality, with 48 percent in good to excellent condition.  Wheat in poor or very poor shape nearly doubled, now at nine percent.

Warmer temperatures prompted more hay cutting to take place last week, with more than a third of Missouri’s alfalfa fields and 12 percent of other hay being cut in the past week.  Overall progress of 75 percent alfalfa and 34 percent other hay remain behind a year ago and five-year averages.  Pastures continue to show remarkable quality, with four-fifths of fields rated good or excellent compared to three percent poor or very poor.  Seven percent of Missouri farmers reportedly have a shortage of hay supply, compared to four percent with a surplus.  Two percent of farms reportedly are running low on stock water, compared to five percent with a surplus.  Missouri’s soils are starting to run dry, with one-sixth of topsoil and six percent of subsoil lacking adequate moisture.  By comparison, three percent of topsoil and five percent of subsoil have a surplus.

An average of 5.8 days were suitable for fieldwork last week.  Temperatures averaged 77.6°F, while precipitation around the state averaged 0.53″.