By Scout Nelson
Nebraska's agricultural sector is experiencing a banner year according to the latest USDA Crop Progress report, with corn and soybean growth surpassing historical averages as of the week ending August 11.
Corn silk in Nebraska hit 99%, 2 percentage points ahead of both last year and the five-year average. The soybeans are also faring exceptionally well, with 85% setting pods, significantly higher than past figures.
Eric Hunt, a climate resilience educator, credits the season's success to well-timed rains and favorable temperatures. "Most of the major corn and soybean areas of the state had sufficient precipitation this season overall through the first part of July, and several locations in East Central Nebraska have caught timely rains over the past three weeks.
Overall, temperatures were warm enough in June to get earlier planted crops ahead of schedule and the cooler temperatures that were prevalent in the first three weeks of July were great for pollination and soybean blooms,” he explained.
The state's crop conditions are also impressive. Nearly a quarter of Nebraska's corn has been rated excellent, placing it among the top seven corn-growing states. Similarly, 19% of Nebraska’s soybeans received an excellent rating, with a combined good/excellent rating of 71%.
Despite these successes, some areas face challenges. Travis Gustafson notes, "Crop conditions in Nebraska are excellent. We had great pollination in corn and August weather is in the sweet spot for soybeans to fully fill out pods,” highlighting the overall robust health of Nebraska's crops.
However, Hunt mentions that some dryland crops in East Central Nebraska are underperforming due to inadequate moisture earlier in the season which affected root development.
The insights from this year's crop progress offer a promising outlook for Nebraska's agricultural output, driven by strategic farming practices and favorable weather conditions.
Photo Credit: istock-ds70
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Soybeans, General