Weather Slowed Nebraska Harvest Progress

(The Business Farmer) – Weather slowed harvest activities in much of Nebraska last week amid reports the state’s corn crop was rated 80 percent good to excellent, according to the weekly Crop and Weather Reports from the USDA Agriculture Statistics Service.

For the week ending Oct. 14, there were just 1.3 days suitable for working in the fields. Across the state, topsoil moisture was rated at 70 percent adequate and 24 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated at 76 percent adequate and 14 percent surplus.

The state’s corn crop was 95 percent mature, compared to the 91 percent both last year and this time of year over the five-year average, according to the reports. A quarter of the state’s corn had been harvested as of the report date, well ahead of last year’s 16 percent, and equal to the five-year average.

Winter wheat condition was rated at 21 percent fair, 45 percent good and 20 percent excellent on 89 percent planting reported. That compares to 85 percent planted at this time last year and 92 percent on average. Wheat was reported at 75 percent emerged, ahead of 65 percent last year and on pace with the five-year average of 74 percent.

Sorghum crops were reportedly 95 percent matured, ahead of both last year’s 90 percent and the five-year average of 91 percent. The crop was rated at 15 percent fair and 83 percent good to excellent, with 32 percent harvested, outpacing both the 22 percent at this time last year and the 27 percent, five-year average.

Pasture and range conditions were rated at 2 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 64 percent good and 12 percent excellent.