Kansas winter wheat harvest is 22 percent complete, three points behind its five-year average. USDA rated 46 percent of the state’s crop good/excellent and 23 percent poor/very poor as of June 18. If anything, Kansas soils are slightly on the moist side, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (see map).
[caption id="attachment_5833" align="alignnone" width="400"]
Calculated soil moisture anomoly June 18 2017 - Click to view source[/caption]
Corn and Bean Condition
With virtually all the corn emerged, 67 percent is rated good/excellent, unchanged from last week, according to USDA’s Crop Progress Report. This is behind the 75 percent seen last year. Kansas crops are in slightly less favorable condition than Nebraska and Iowa crops, while South Dakota continues to be under the gun, with 17 percent of its corn rated as poor/very poor and less than half in the upper categories.
| States |
Corn (percent) |
Soybeans (percent) |
|
Poor/very poor |
Good/Excellent |
Poor/very poor |
Good/Excellent |
| Iowa |
4 |
78 |
4 |
74 |
| Kansas |
7 |
61 |
3 |
67 |
| Nebraska |
4 |
78 |
5 |
72 |
| South Dakota |
17 |
49 |
16 |
47 |
| 18 States |
8 |
67 |
7 |
67 |
In the 18 states, soybean planting is nearing completion, at 96 percent – three points ahead of average. Eighty-nine percent of beans have emerged, five points ahead of average. For the 18 states, 73 percent is rated in the top categories compared to 7 percent is at the bottom end. That’s an improvement of 1 point on the top end and a deterioration of one point on the bottom.
Overall, topsoil and subsoil moisture is not much different from last year at this time. For most states, that means a subsoil water bank. In South Dakota, similar ratings for topsoil and subsoil means timely rains will we required to keep the 55 percent that’s short on water going.
| States |
Topsoil (percent) |
Subsoil (percent) |
|
Very short/short |
Adequate/surplus |
Very short/short |
Adequate/surplus |
| Iowa |
27 |
73 |
18 |
82 |
| Kansas |
18 |
82 |
9 |
91 |
| Nebraska |
37 |
63 |
25 |
75 |
| South Dakota |
55 |
45 |
55 |
45 |
| 18 States |
29 |
72 |
23 |
77 |
Grain Sorghum
Milo planting is 77 percent completed in Kansas, one point behind average. This compares to 86 percent planted overall in the 11 reported states -- one point ahead of average for this time of year. Heading is running a point behind average, at 17 percent overall and none reported in Kansas. USDA rates this crop 69 percent good/excellent and 5 percent poor/very poor, with Kansas at 74 percent in the top end and only 2 percent in the bottom end.
[caption id="attachment_5834" align="alignright" width="300"]
Pasture range statewide conditions - 6-11-17 - click to view source[/caption]
Pasture/Range
Good news for beef lovers outside of the upper Grain Plains: USDA’s Pasture and range conditions ratings put 63 percent of the nation at the upper end of the range, similar to last year’s 64 percent, while 12 percent is poor/very poor, compared with only 9 percent in the lower end last year. The following maps from CPC tell the story. Kansas was enjoying at least 81 percent in good/very good condition and just 2 percent in the lower end of the range as of June 11.
