Soy, Cotton Harvest Surpass 50 Percent

Another dry week gave Missouri farmers the greenlight to push ahead with their crop harvest.  USDA’s Crop Progress report places the state’s corn harvest at 78 percent complete, five points ahead of average pace and just two points behind last year’s mark.  Soybean harvest is now 59 percent complete, 13 points better than a year ago and 17 points ahead of average pace.  The last soy crop condition ratings for the year show notable improvement for beans, with 59 percent rated good to excellent, up eight points from last week, while 15 percent are listed in poor or very poor shape.  Winter wheat planting is just over half complete, in line with last year’s progress and seven points ahead of average.  18 percent of the crop has emerged.

Cotton harvest in the Bootheel has reached 55 percent, five points ahead of last year and four better than the five-year average.  Conditions are unchanged with 60 percent rated good to excellent against 12 percent poor or very poor.  Rice harvest is close to wrapping up with 97 percent out of the ground, up 13 points from a year ago and eight points better than average.

Pastures continue weakening with only 11 percent in good condition, compared to 68 percent in poor or very poor shape.  Only 49 percent of Missouri farmers are believed to have adequate hay supply, while 44 percent are believed to have enough stock water.  Just 15 percent of topsoil and 19 percent of subsoil have adequate moisture, as no noticeable rainfall was recorded last week and temperatures were 3.4 degrees below normal at 51.4°F.  About 6.9 days were suitable for fieldwork.