Harvest Slow To Pick Up Despite Dry Week

Despite limited rainfall across Missouri, fields across the state were not quite ready for harvest.  USDA’s weekly crop progress report indicated that just half of Missouri corn fields had reached maturity, and 95 percent of the crop had dented.  That’s in line if not better than last year’s figures and the five-year average.  However, corn harvest is just seven percent complete, five points behind average.  Conditions were level from last week at 64 percent good to excellent against nine percent poor or very poor.  A tenth of soybean fields have dropped their leaves, while 30 percent have turned color and 94 percent have set pods.  All these figures are in line with the five-year average.  Soy quality was also stable, with 61 percent rated good to excellent, compared to eight percent poor or very poor.

Rice harvest in the Bootheel is now in line with the five-year average at 17 percent complete.  Two-thirds of rice is rated good to excellent, with three percent remaining in poor shape.  28 percent of cotton bolls have opened, behind the average pace of 45 percent.  However, conditions are at their strongest level this year, with three in four plants rated good, compared to six percent listed as poor.

93 percent of alfalfa fields have received a third cutting, two points better than a year ago and the five-year average.  63 percent of pastures are in good to excellent condition, down two points from last week, compared to nine percent poor or very poor.  Nine percent of Missouri farmers are believed to have a shortage of hay supply, compared to four percent with a surplus.  The number of farmers short on stock water supply is also at nine percent, while two percent have a surplus.  A third of topsoil and 23 percent of subsoil were short on moisture.  Just one percent of each had a surplus.

Rainfall averaged just 0.07″ last week, with temperatures almost a degree above normal at 72.4°F.  6.6 days were suitable for fieldwork.