Agricultural Summary

Fair weather conditions allowed farmers back into their fields for a very good week of harvest with 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork statewide. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 5 percent very short, 13 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. The south-central district and Bootheel reported nearly 70 percent short to very short. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 6 percent very short, 11 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Fall tillage was 18 percent complete, 36 days ahead of last year and 13 days ahead of the 5-year average (normal). On-farm storage availability for this year’s harvest was rated 19 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus, similar to a week earlier. The northeast and west-central districts reported 35 and 32 percent short, respectively.

Field Crops Report

Corn maturity reached 96 percent Statewide, 21 days ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of normal. Over half a million acres of corn were harvested last week, advancing harvest to sixty percent Statewide. This is 35 days ahead of last year and over 3 days ahead of normal. The north-central district progressed 28 points from last week as the average moved to 46 percent complete. Corn condition was rated 8 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 37 percent good, and 9 percent excellent, down slightly from a week earlier. Respondents are reporting corn moisture at harvest between 14.3 percent, down in the southwest district, and 17.4 percent with a State average of 16.4 percent. Soybeans turning color was 86 percent complete and leaves have dropped on 64 percent of the crop, 4 days ahead of last year but slightly behind normal. Soybean maturity reached 39 percent, 3 days ahead of last year but just behind the normal pace. Soybean harvest was 13 percent complete, 3 days ahead of last year and similar to normal. Soybean condition was rated 5 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 39 percent good, and 11 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from last week. Bolls have opened on nearly all of the cotton crop. Harvest progressed 19 points to reach 50 percent complete, nearly 40 days ahead of last year’s slow pace and 2 weeks ahead of normal. Cotton condition was rated 11 percent very poor, 20 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 35 percent good, and 7 percent excellent, similar to a week earlier. Rice harvest was 93 percent complete, 37 days ahead of last year and 25 days ahead of normal. Ninety-six percent of the sorghum has turned color, 14 days ahead of last year, while sorghum has reached 81 percent maturity, more than 17 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal. Sorghum harvest was 43 percent complete, 32 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of normal. The west-central, southwest, and south-central districts showed significant advancement. Sorghum condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 6 percent excellent, similar to last week. Planting of winter wheat was 11 percent complete, 5 days ahead of last year but similar to normal. Two percent of the wheat crop has emerged, similar to last year but 2 days behind normal.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition was rated 8 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, similar to a week earlier. Supplies of hay and other roughages was rated 2 percent very short, 6 percent short, 79 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus. The south-central district reported 22 percent short to very short. Stock water supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 86 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. The south-central district and Bootheel reported 40 and 18 percent short to very short, respectively. Both hay and water supplies have improved over the month of September.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were 3 to 7 degrees below normal across the State. Rainfall averaged 0.02 of an inch Statewide as most of the state reported little to no precipitation. Of the counties that reported rainfall, Lewis county had the most with 0.60 of an inch, followed by Bollinger county which received about a third of an inch.