Solid Start To Season For Soybean Conditions

The first soybean condition ratings from USDA show almost 60 percent of Missouri beans are starting out in solid condition.  The weekly crop progress report has 59 percent of beans in good or excellent shape, three points better than a year ago, while three percent is rated poor.  One-sixth of the state’s beans were planted in the last week, bringing Missouri’s completion rate to 65 percent, just ahead of average and four points better than a year ago.  Just shy of half have emerged.  Corn planting is now 96 percent complete, with 91 percent emerged.  57 percent of the crop is in good or excellent shape, down five points from last week, while nine percent is rated poor or very poor.

Crop conditions in the Bootheel are strengthening, with 66 percent of rice considered good or excellent.  No part of the crop is ranked poor.  Cotton conditions are steady at 68 percent good versus seven percent poor.

Winter wheat improved in the dry, temperate weather with 65 percent good to excellent against five percent poor.  98 percent of the crop has headed.  Harvest has not yet begun in Missouri; the five-year average is three percent.

Farmers are continuing to play catchup with their hay stocks.  41 percent of alfalfa has received its first cutting, down 12 points from last year and 20 points off the five-year average.  22 percent of other hay has been cut, down ten points from a year ago and 12 points behind the five-year average.  Pastures improved again this week, with 78 percent good to excellent versus three percent poor.  11 percent of Missouri farmers are reportedly short on hay supply, while three percent have a surplus.  One-tenth of farmers have surplus stock water.

While rainfall was below normal at 0.7″ last week, 11 percent of topsoil and ten percent of subsoil have a surplus of moisture, compared to two percent of topsoil and one percent of subsoil lacking adequate moisture.  An average of 4.2 days were suitable for fieldwork, and temperatures were nearly two degrees below normal at 67.2°F.