Nebraska Weather and Crops

Agricultural Summary: For the week ending April 22, 2012, field activities picked up momentum but were slowed due to damp soils, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Corn planting increased to 14 percent complete during the 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Seeding of oats was 85 percent complete with about half of the crop emerged. Wheat jointed, at 59 percent, continued two and one half weeks ahead of average. The first fields of soybeans were planted and sugarbeet planting in the Panhandle has begun. Soil temperatures ranged from the low 50’s in the northern counties to upper 50’s across the south. Cattle and calves were in mostly good to excellent condition. Spring calving was 92 percent complete with calf losses below average.

Weather Summary: In general, temperatures averaged one degree below normal across the northern half of the state and one degree above normal across the south. Highs reached the upper 70’s and lows fell to the high 20’s in the Panhandle. Light precipitation fell across much of the state with most areas receiving less than half an inch. Portions of Boyd and Holt Counties in North Central Nebraska received over 1.5 inches.

Field Crops Report: Corn was 14 percent planted, ahead of 4 last year and 9 average. Corn emerged was 1 percent.

Wheat jointed was 59 percent, ahead of 9 percent last year and two and one half weeks ahead of 13 average. Wheat conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 30 fair, 53 good, and 11 excellent, well above last year’s 43 percent good to excellent and 58 average.

Oats planted was at 85 percent, ahead of 66 last year and one and one half weeks ahead of 69 average. Oats emerged was 49 percent, well ahead of 18 last year and 23 average. Oats conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 21 fair, 70 good, and 7 excellent.

Alfalfa conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 28 fair, 53 good, and 15 excellent, below last year’s 75 percent good to excellent but near 67 average. Concerns were expressed about insect levels. The first cutting of alfalfa was 5 percent complete.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Cattle and calf condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 6 fair, 73 good, and 21 excellent. Spring calving was 92 percent complete. Calf losses rated 32 percent below average, 67 average, and 1 above average. Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 33 fair, 54 good, and 6 excellent, below 67 percent good to excellent last year and 66 average.