Most Missouri Crop Progress Stymied By Snow

Last week’s below-freezing temperatures and wintry weather delayed a good deal of crop progress across Missouri.  USDA’s weekly update indicated that just six percent of the state’s intended corn acreage was planted in the past week, bringing progress to 20 percent.  That’s now three points behind a year ago and 24 points off the five-year average.  Five percent of the crop has emerged, seven points behind average.  Winter wheat was also impacted, with eight percent now headed, less than half the figure from a year ago and 15 points behind the five-year average.  Despite the much-colder temperatures, wheat conditions improved in the past week, with 61 percent in good or excellent shape versus five percent in poor condition.

In the Bootheel, rice planting is at 44 percent complete, five points behind pace but 24 points better than a year ago.  A fifth of the crop has emerged, six points ahead of normal.  The Bootheel also continued its head start on soybean planting, with three percent of Missouri’s crop in the ground and one percent already emerged.

Pasture conditions also improved in the past week, with 71 percent in good to excellent condition while just two percent remained poor.  Still, 13 percent of Missouri farmers are believed to have a shortage of hay supply, compared to six percent with a surplus.  The number of farmers with surplus stock water is also at six percent, even as precipitation last week ended up below average at 0.88″.  One percent of topsoil and subsoil were short on moisture, compared to surpluses reported in 17 percent of topsoil and 12 percent of subsoil.  Temperatures on average were 10.7 degrees below normal at 47.3°F, and 3.3 days were suitable for fieldwork.