Crop Update

Summer rains have paid off as Nebraska tops the national numbers with strong crop conditions.

Let’s start with corn. In Nebraska, 76% of corn is silking, a big jump from 56% last week—though still a bit behind the 5-year average of 85%. 20% has reached the dough stage, and condition ratings are looking strong: 77% of Nebraska corn is rated good to excellent, with only 6% in poor or very poor shape.

Just to the south, Kansas corn is 77% silking, matching the five-year average,

Nationally, corn silking reached 76%, right on pace with the 5-year average,

Switching to soybeans, Nebraska’s crop is moving along. 73% is now blooming, which is still below the 5-year average of 85%. Just 29% has set pods, still well behind normal, though up sharply from 16% last week.

In Kansas, 63% of soybeans are blooming and 27% are setting pods, both right in line with the average.

Nationally, 76% of soybeans are blooming and 41% are setting pods, nearly matching the five-year averages.

It’s been a welcome turnaround for pastures and rangeland in Nebraska and Kansas this week, thanks to timely rains across much of the region.

In Nebraska, 46% of pasture and range is now rated good to excellent, up from just 33% last week. Only 8% is rated very poor, and that’s a noticeable improvement from earlier this season.

Down in Kansas, 61% of pasture and range is in good to excellent shape.

Those pasture gains are backed up by better soil moisture. In Nebraska, 71% of topsoil and 60% of subsoil are now considered adequate to surplus. That’s a big help as we move into August, with crops drawing heavy moisture and livestock needing forage.

A quick check on winter wheat harvest shows Nebraska is 79% complete, trailing the five-year average by just a few points. Kansas wrapped up its harvest earlier this month.