Corn Ratings Perk Up

When USDA’s weekly crop condition ratings are plugged into Pro Farmer’s weighted (by production) Crop Condition Index (CCI; 0 to 500 point scale, with 500 representing perfect), it shows the corn crop stands at 370.68 points, up 6.91 points from last week.

* denotes percentage of total national corn crop production.

Iowa: Dry weather conditions allowed farmers to make good progress on spring planting during the week ending June 4, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork, which were the most Iowa has had all season. Field activities for the week included planting and re-planting, applying herbicides, and harvesting the first crop of alfalfa hay.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 0% very short, 9% short, 85% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0% very short, 3% short, 87% adequate and 10% surplus.

Ninety percent of corn crop has emerged, six days behind last year and one day behind the five-year average. Corn condition improved and rated 77% good to excellent. Soybean planting reached 91% complete, 2 days behind last year, but over a week ahead of average. Soybean emergence reached 62%, 1 day behind average. The first soybean condition rating of the season came in at 1% very poor, 3% poor, 23% fair, 62% good and 11% excellent.

Illinois: Dry weather conditions allowed farmers to make good progress on spring planting during the week ending June 4, 2017, according to NASS. Statewide there were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork, which were the most Iowa has had all season. Field activities for the week included planting and re-planting, applying herbicides, and harvesting the first crop of alfalfa hay. Topsoil moisture levels rated 0% very short, 9% short, 85% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0% very short, 3% short, 87% adequate and 10% surplus.

Ninety percent of corn crop has emerged, six days behind last year and one day behind the five-year average. Corn condition improved and rated 77% good to excellent.

Soybean planting reached 91% complete, two days behind last year, but over a week ahead of average. Soybean emergence reached 62%, one day behind average. The first soybean condition rating of the season came in at 1% very poor, 3% poor, 23% fair, 62% good and 11% excellent.

Indiana: Warm and dry weather conditions allowed for great progress in planting and replanting damaged crops, according to Greg Matli, Indiana State Statistician for NASS. The sunny days with low humidity and consecutive days without rain aided in the decrease of soil moisture levels. However, there still remain fields with standing water.

The statewide average temperature was 68.8 degrees, 1.9 degrees above normal. Statewide precipitation was 0.17 inches, below average by 0.86 inches. There were 5.2 days available for fieldwork for the week ending June 4, up 3.2 days from the previous week.

Regionally, corn was 91% planted in the North, 92% in Central, and 90% in the South. Corn was 73% emerged in the North, 74% in Central, and 77% in the South. Soybeans were 74% planted in the North, 79% in Central, and 71% in the South. Soybeans were 46% emerged in the North, 48% in Central, and 47% in the South.

Minnesota: Warm weather advanced crop development in Minnesota during the week ending June 4, 2017 according to NASS. The sunny days and dry conditions allowed for 5.5 days suitable for field work. Field activities for the week included planting, spraying, and cutting hay.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 1% very short, 7% short, 83% adequate and 9% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 0% very short, 2% short, 86% adequate and 12% surplus.

Ninety-two percent of the corn crop had emerged, one week behind last year, but 5 days ahead of the five-year average. Corn condition improved to 77% good to excellent, up 9 percentage points from the previous week.

Soybean planting was 94% complete, remaining 8 days behind last year, but 10 days ahead of average. Sixty-eight percent of the soybean acreage had emerged, six days behind last year but three days ahead of average. Soybean condition was 74% good to excellent.