Here are the highlights of the latest USDA weekly weather and crop bulletin report:
The remnants of Tropical Storm Ida dumped precipitation totaling upwards of 400 percent of normal across much of the Southeast during the week, limiting fieldwork and worsening unharvested crop conditions.
Elsewhere, mostly dry weather in the Great Plains and Corn Belt promoted small grain growth and summer crop harvest. With the exception of the Pacific Northwest, areas of the Great Basin, and southern Florida, temperatures were above average for most of the country during the past week.
Corn: A second consecutive week of above average temperatures and mostly dry weather in the major corn-producing regions of the country allowed harvest to progress rapidly during the week. Despite the active harvest pace, progress only reached 54 percent complete, 23 points behind last year and 35 points, or over 3 weeks, behind the 5-year average. Producers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio utilized over 5 days suitable for fieldwork to harvest 20 percent or more of their crop. As harvest surpassed the halfway point during the week, 67 percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly from last week.
Soybeans: Producers harvested 14 percent of the Nation's soybean crop during the week, leaving progress, at 89 percent, 6 points behind last year and 7 points, or 12 days, behind the 5-year average. Harvest was active throughout most of the majoring growing regions, but progress remained behind the average pace in all estimating States except North Carolina and Ohio.
Winter Wheat: Winter wheat seeding advanced to 90 percent complete by week's end, 6 points behind last year and 5 points behind the 5-year average. Seeding was most active in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri where producers seeded 12 percent or more of their crop during the week. Emergence reached 77 percent complete by November 15, nine points behind last year and 10 points behind the 5-year average. The most significant delays were evident in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri. Overall, 64 percent of the winter wheat crop was reported in good to excellent, up slightly from ratings last week but 2 points below last year.
Cotton: Nationally, cotton producers harvested 16 percent of the 2009 crop during the week. At 60 percent complete, harvest was 3 points behind last year and 8 points behind the 5-year average. In Texas, the largest cotton-producing State, harvest progressed 14 points during the week despite heavy dew and moisture in areas of the Low Plains. Overall, 40 percent of the crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down 3 points from ratings last week. The most significant decline in condition was evident in Alabama where the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida delivered over 5 inches of rainfall and strong winds to some areas of the State, causing lodging in some cotton fields.
Sorghum: Maturity reached 97 percent complete by week's end, 2 points behind both last year and the 5-year average. The sorghum crop was mature everywhere except Illinois, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. Harvest advanced 12 points during the week. With 68 percent of the crop harvested, overall progress was 8 points behind last year and 16 points behind the average. The most significant delay was evident in Nebraska where harvest was 43 points, or nearly 3 weeks, behind normal.
