Two-Thirds Of Missouri Grains Harvested

Needed rain arrived in much of Southwest Missouri, but farmers were not deterred from continuing harvest at a strong pace.  This week’s USDA Crop Progress Report showed 83 percent of corn harvested as of Sunday.  While just a gain of five percent on the week, it’s three points ahead of average and two points shy of last year’s pace.  Soybean harvest is 73 percent complete, 15 points better than last year and 17 points ahead of the five-year-average.  In the Bootheel, cotton harvest is 15 points ahead of normal pace at 68 percent; that’s also 10 points better than a year ago.  Rice harvest is 98 percent complete, nine points ahead of last year and five points better than average.

Winter wheat planting also jumped ahead of pace, with 68 percent in the ground, compared to 62 percent a year ago and the five-year average of 55 percent.  Emergence is at 35 percent, just off the average pace and eight points behind a year ago.  The first condition ratings of the season have 56 percent of the crop rated good to excellent, six points lower than a year ago, with 15 percent in poor or very poor shape.

Pasture conditions appear to have bottomed out, as 66 percent of fields are rated poor or very poor, two points lower than last week.  Just 11 percent are in good condition, unchanged from last week.  49 percent of Missouri farmers are believed to have adequate hay supply, while 44 percent have enough stock water.  Just a third of Missouri topsoil and 26 percent of subsoil have adequate moisture.  Almost five days were suitable for fieldwork, with temperatures slightly above normal at an average of 53.8°F.  Precipitation around the state was well above normal for the week, at an average of 2.27″.