Nebraska Weather and Crop Report

Agricultural Summary: For the week ending June 12, 2011, warm, dry temperatures early in the week boosted crop development and provided an opportunity for hay crops to be harvested, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. However, this again gave way to below normal temperatures which returned late in the week. Winds died down for portions of the week allowing herbicide applications. Flooding along the Missouri and Platte Rivers were impacting low lying areas. The last fields of soybeans and sorghum were being planted and dry bean and proso millet seeding were active in the west.

Weather Summary: Precipitation was limited during the week except for portions of extreme northeast Nebraska and the western Panhandle. South Central counties were dry. Temperatures averaged 2 degrees below normal. Highs reached triple digits in the east and south with lows in the 40’s and 50’s recorded statewide.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 24 fair, 65 good, and 9 excellent. Corn emerged was at 98 percent, same as last year and average.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 22 fair, 68 good, and 7 excellent. Soybean planting was 98 percent complete, ahead of 96 last year and average. Soybeans emerged was 84 percent, near last year’s 83 and 86 average.

Wheat conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 11 poor, 30 fair, 50 good, and 8 excellent, below last year’s 74 percent good to excellent but near 57 average. Wheat headed was 81 percent, behind last year’s 84 and 92 average. Wheat was just beginning to turn color in southern counties and was 4 percent statewide, behind 12 last year and 9 days behind 26 average.

Sorghum conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 19 fair, 75 good, and 5 excellent. Sorghum planting was 94 percent, ahead of 80 last year and 86 average. Sorghum emerged was 72 percent, ahead of 52 last year and 60 average.

Oats condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 11 fair, 79 good, and 9 excellent, below last year’s 90 percent good to excellent but above 74 average. Oats headed was 42 percent, below 45 last year and 52 average.

Dry Beans planted was 56 percent, behind 69 last year and 73 average. Dry Beans emerged was 11 percent, behind 20 last year and 31 average.

Proso Millet planted was 26 percent complete, near 28 average.

Alfalfa rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 15 fair, 71 good, and 12 excellent, below last year’s 86 percent good to excellent but above 67 average. First cutting of alfalfa was 59 percent complete, behind 64 last year and average.

Wild hay conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 23 fair, 65 good, and 10 excellent, below 90 percent good to excellent last year.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 16 fair, 70 good, and 12 excellent, well below last year’s 90 good to excellent but above 68 average.