HARVEST PROGRESSES, STILL BEHIND 5-YEAR AVERAGE

News Date November 24, 2009

The following is a brief update on crop progress and weather conditions from the USDA-National Agriculture Statistics Service: 

Weather: Temperatures across much of the northern half of the country were above average during the week, while areas in California, the Southwest, and along the Gulf Coast experienced temperatures well below normal. Wet conditions continued in areas of the Pacific Northwest and returned to much of the Corn Belt and the eastern half of Texas where precipitation totals exceeded 800 percent of normal during the week.

Corn: Nationally, harvest advanced 14 points during the week leaving progress, at 68 percent, 19 points behind last year and 26 points behind the 5-year average. Harvest was most active in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin where producers combined 21 percent or more of their crop. Despite the active harvest pace in these States, overall progress remained over 2 weeks behind normal. Wet weather in Illinois and Missouri held the harvest pace to single digits during the week.

Soybeans: Producers had harvested 94 percent of the 2009 soybean acreage by week’s end, 3 points behind both last year and the 5-year average. The most significant harvest delay was evident in Kansas where overall progress was 13 points, or over 2 weeks, behind normal.

Winter Wheat: Seeding in the 2010 winter wheat crop advanced slowly during the week. With 93 percent of the crop in the ground, progress was 5 points behind last year and 4 points behind the 5-year average. Producers in Colorado, Michigan, and Montana used over 3 days suitable for fieldwork to finish seeding their crop during the week. Emergence advanced to 84 percent complete by November 22, seven points behind last year and 6 points behind the average. Despite evidence of rapid emergence in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri during the week, overall progress remained 29 points or more behind normal in these States. Overall, 64 percent of the winter wheat crop was reported in good to excellent condition, unchanged from ratings last week but down slightly from last year.

Cotton: Seventy-two percent of the Nation’s cotton crop was harvested by week’s end, 1 point behind last year and 3 points behind the 5-year average. Progress was behind normal in all estimating States except Arizona and Texas.  (Contact: David Hickey)