Nebraska Weather and Crop Report

Agricultural Summary: For the week ending August 28, 2011, crop maturity progressed as temperatures climbed back above normal, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Most parts of the state received little precipitation; however, storms brought hail to East Central locations. Irrigation was beginning to wind down on corn with most of the crop now dented. Winter Wheat seeding and Proso Millet harvest was just underway. Grasshopper numbers are still a concern in portions of the west.
Weather Summary: Temperatures for the week averaged 4 degrees above normal in the east to 8 degrees above normal in the west. Highs were mainly in the 90’s but did reach triple digits in the Southwest District. Lows were recorded in the 50’s. Northeast and East Central District border counties received the majority of the precipitation in the state where the highest levels of accumulation were over 3 inches in a few locations. Most of the west and south was dry.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 16 fair, 57 good, and 20 excellent, below 81 good to excellent last year but above 73 average. Irrigated corn conditions rated 81 percent good to excellent and dryland corn rated 70. Corn in dough stage was 93 percent, behind 98 last year but near 92 average. Corn in the dent stage was 51 percent, behind 67 last year and 61 average with first fields of corn considered mature.

Soybean condition rated 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 15 fair, 58 good, and 24 excellent, above 76 percent good to excellent last year and 70 average. Soybean acreage setting pods were at 97 percent, equal to last year and average. Soybeans turning color was 2 percent, behind 6 last year and 8 average.

The first fields of Winter Wheat were seeded on pace with last year and average.

Proso Millet harvest was underway at 2 percent, near 3 last year and 2 average.

Sorghum conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 7 poor, 13 fair, 65 good, and 15 excellent, near last year’s good to excellent rating of 78 percent, but above 72 average. Sorghum headed was 98 percent, behind 99 last year but above 96 average. Sorghum turning color was 40 percent, ahead of 36 last year and 33 average.

Dry Beans condition rated 3 percent very poor, 16 poor, 17 fair, 56 good, and 8 excellent, below 76 percent good to excellent last year and 68 average. Dry beans setting pods were 98 percent, behind 100 last year but near 97 average. Dry beans turning color was 24 percent, behind 48 percent last year and 34 average. Dry beans dropping leaves were 8 percent, equal to last year and near 7 average.

Alfalfa rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 21 fair, 64 good, and 12 excellent, below 80 percent good to excellent last year but well above 60 average. Third cutting of alfalfa was at 76 percent, behind 89 last year and 83 average. The fourth cutting of alfalfa was at 10 percent, equal to last year and ahead of 6 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 22 fair, 62 good, and 9 excellent, below last year’s 84 percent good to excellent but above 55 average.