Agricultural Summary

Although warm, wet weather aided crop development across the northern portion of the state, the southern districts experienced less than one inch of rain, matched with warm temps, creating a very dry environment.  Most crops were planted, but there were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork, keeping producers busy spraying and harvesting wheat and hay.  The topsoil moisture supply was 5 percent very short, 21 percent short, 63 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus.  The southeast district was 53 percent in the very short and short categories, followed by west-central and southwest districts with 51 percent in the short and very short categories.  Statewide the subsoil moisture supply was 1 percent very short, 17 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus. 

Field Crops Report

Corn silked and beyond was 17 percent, 8 days behind last year, and 1 week behind the historic 5-year average (normal).  Corn condition was 4 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 16 percent excellent.  Soybeans planted were 96 percent, nearly the same as last year, and 2 days ahead of normal.  Soybeans emerged were 90 percent, 2 days ahead of last year, and 3 days ahead of normal.  Soybean blooming and beyond was 4 percent, 4 days behind last year and normal.  Condition was slightly better than corn with soybeans rating 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 13 percent excellent.  Cotton squaring and beyond was 65 percent, the same as last year and 1 day ahead of normal.  Cotton setting bolls and beyond was 3 percent, 6 days behind last year, and 9 days behind normal.  Cotton condition was 6 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 2 percent excellent.  Rice hadn’t started heading, but condition remained good with 3 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 44 percent good, and 22 percent excellent.  Sorghum planting was nearly complete moving to 96 percent, nearly the same as last year and normal.  Sorghum heading was only beginning with 1 percent headed state-wide, with most progress in the northwest and west-central districts.  Sorghum condition was 1 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 64 percent good, and 4 percent excellent. Winter wheat harvest continued 5 days ahead of normal, moving 25 points from last week to 88 percent, nearly the same as last year.  Alfalfa hay 1st cutting was 94 percent, nearly the same as last year and normal.  Alfalfa hay 2nd cutting was 45 percent, 2 days ahead of last year, but 1 day ahead of normal.  Other hay cut was 74 percent nearly the same as last year and normal. 

Pasture & Livestock

Dry conditions across the central and southern districts decreased pasture conditions somewhat to 6 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 5 percent excellent.  Hay and other roughage supply was 7 percent short, 87 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. 

Weather Summary

Precipitation averaged 1.39 inches statewide with nearly 2 inches of rain in the northern districts and less than an inch in the southern districts.  Flooding continued along the Missouri River in Atchison, Holt, Carroll, and Chariton counties.  Irrigation continued in the southeast district.  Temperatures averaged 2 to 5 degrees above average across the state.