Corn Harvest Continues Trailing Despite Lack Of Rain

No noticeable rainfall across Missouri last week accelerated soybean progress to normal levels, while corn maturity and harvest remains sizably behind.  USDA’s weekly crop progress report indicates that just over a third of Missouri’s corn is harvested, 15 points behind a year ago and ten points behind the five-year average.  Corn maturity has reached 82 percent, 11 points behind a year ago and five points off average pace.  Half of the remaining crop is rated good to excellent, while 24 percent is listed in poor or very poor condition.  Soybean harvest is now nine percent complete, in line with average pace and just shy of last year’s clip.  68 percent of the crop has dropped leaves, three points ahead of last year and 16 points better than average.  Conditions diverged, with 49 percent rated good to excellent against 18 percent poor or very poor.  Winter wheat planting finally got underway in the past week, with three percent planted.  Five percent was planted at this time a year ago, and the five-year average is seven percent.

The Bootheel’s rice harvest is now 56 percent complete, four points ahead of last year but four points behind average pace.  Final crop conditions have 61 percent of the remaining crop rated good to excellent, versus eight percent poor.  Cotton harvest crawled to a six-percent mark, half the average pace but still ahead of last year’s mark of two percent.  One in six bolls have yet to open.

The lack of rain last week kept plying pressure on our pastures.  47 percent of fields are now poor or very poor, 11 points worse than a week ago, while just 27 percent are in good or excellent condition.  44 percent of Missouri farmers have a reported shortage of hay supply, while 45 percent are short on stock water.  Just 30 percent of Missouri topsoil and a third of subsoil has adequate moisture.  Missouri farmers had almost all of the week suitable for fieldwork, even with temperatures averaging 4.2°F below normal at 59 degrees.