U.S. Crop Watch corn and soybean fields are in good health heading into June, though the vast majority are in immediate need of rain after a dry couple of weeks.
Dryness concerns have increased from last week given that many crops will have to go at least another week without adequate rainfall, according to latest forecasts. Warmer than normal temperatures are also likely for the whole Corn Belt this week, potentially accelerating crop stress.
The Crop Watch producers each week assign condition scores to their fields on a 1-to-5 scale. The ratings are similar to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s where 1 is very poor, 3 is average and 5 is excellent, but Crop Watch conditions do not incorporate yield assumptions. Yield ratings will come later in the season.
Corn conditions this week average 4.4 over ten fields, down from the nine-field 4.5 a week ago. Reductions were made in Nebraska and western Iowa due to dryness, though an initial 5 from Ohio was partially offsetting. No conditions are available yet in North Dakota and no other changes were made.
Soybean conditions average 4.13 over 10 fields this week, down from the seven-field average of 4.21 last week. New scores include Ohio at 5, Kansas at 4.5 and Minnesota at 2. Nebraska and western Iowa were the only two soybean scores to fall this week, though eastern Iowa conditions improved after the May 20 replant.
The 2 for Minnesota soybeans is the lowest condition score the producer has ever assigned either of his crops in any week since Crop Watch began in 2018. On Monday he replanted 30% of the field, as heavy rains shortly after the May 10 planting severely hampered emergence.
Replanting has been common in southern Minnesota for fields sown around that date, but many beans planted before and after look very healthy.
Despite the score reduction, beans in western Iowa are looking better than last year at this point. Both corn and soybean scores in Kansas are a bit better than a year ago, though the fields have recently missed out on rains. Pivots are running earlier than ever in Nebraska.
Average Crop Watch soybean conditions are better than on the same date a year ago, but corn is about the same. The soybean fields were planted about a week earlier than last year and corn about 11 days earlier.
NORTH DAKOTA
The North Dakota soy field is the only Crop Watch field not yet planted, and the producer does not have an estimated date. However, he has until June 10 to plant soybeans and be eligible for crop insurance.
Source: hellenicshippingnews.com
Photo Credit: GettyImages-oticki
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Corn