Corn Maturity Well Behind Average, But Soy Stays Ahead

Rainfall from Tropical Storm Laura drenched Southeast Missouri last week, giving crops there additional moisture while the northern third of Missouri went dry again. That’s continuing to balance out in USDA’s Crop Progress report, which had Missouri receiving 77-hundredths of an inch of rain last week, down three-hundredths from the average. The widely varied conditions didn’t do much to hasten corn maturity, which is sitting at just seven percent as of Sunday, one-third the rate of where the crop should normally be. However, 83 percent of corn is dented and 97 percent has doughed, which remains ahead of average. 77 percent of the crop is in good or excellent condition, up four points from last week, while five percent is poor or very poor. Soybean progress remains ahead of pace, with 96 percent blooming and 88 percent setting pods. Three-fourths of the crop is in good or excellent condition, while five percent is poor or very poor.

In the Bootheel, four-fifths of cotton plants have set bolls, and one percent of the bolls have finally opened. This time a year ago, nearly all the cotton had set their bolls and 18 percent had opened. Five percent of plants still haven’t squared. Half the crop is in good or excellent condition, while 14 percent is poor or very poor. 92 percent of the rice crop has headed, just behind a year ago and three points behind the five-year average. 65 percent of the crop is in good or excellent condition, and seven percent is poor or very poor.

Pastures are steady at 55 percent good or excellent versus 14 percent poor or very poor. 83 percent of alfalfa has received its third cutting. 13 percent of Missouri farmers reportedly have a shortage of hay supply, compared to nine percent with a surplus. Nine percent are lacking adequate stock water. Just over six days were suitable for farm work on average across the state, and temperatures last week averaged just over 77 degrees.