Damp Week Impacts Wheat Harvest, Last Push To Plant Soy
Fields across Missouri received more than their fair share of rain last week – an average of 3.39 inches. That in turn kept wheat harvest below pace, while the completion of soybean planting will have to wait another week. USDA’s weekly Crop Progress report indicates that the wheat harvest is just over half complete, 11 points off last year’s pace and 17 points off the five-year average. 49 percent of the remaining crop is rated good to excellent, compared to 11 percent rated poor or very poor. Soybean planting is now 96 percent complete, three points ahead of last year’s mark and five points ahead of average. 88 percent of beans have emerged, and seven percent are blooming. 57 percent are rated good to excellent versus six percent poor or very poor. The first two percent of Missouri corn has tasseled, behind last year’s seven percent and the five-year average of 15 percent.
Crop conditions in the Bootheel remain static with 68 percent of cotton and rice each in good to excellent shape. Seven percent of cotton and three percent of rice are in poor condition. 79 percent of the cotton crop is squaring, considerably better than last year’s 11 percent and the five-year average of 35 percent. Nine percent have already set bolls.
96 percent of Missouri alfalfa has received its first cutting, and three percent was able to receive its second mowing in the past week. Damp conditions prevented more from being mowed, as 35 percent was cut a second time at this point last year. 68 percent of other hay has been cut, five points off last year and six behind the average. 72 percent of pastures are in good to excellent condition, up four points from last week, while five percent are considered poor or very poor. One-tenth of Missouri farmers report a shortage of hay supply, compared to nine percent with a surplus. Just three percent indicate a shortage of stock water, compared to 12 percent with a surplus. 30 percent of Missouri topsoil and 17 percent of subsoil are running a surplus of moisture. Despite persistent rains last week, 14 percent of topsoil and nine percent of subsoil are lacking adequate moisture. 3.6 days were suitable for fieldwork last week, with temperatures averaging two degrees below normal at 73°F.
