By Scout Nelson
Nebraska’s latest crop progress update highlights steady movement in late-season harvest activities as federal reporting resumes after nearly two months of delay caused by the government shutdown.
Producers used the available fieldwork window to push corn and sorghum harvest closer to completion, while soybean and dry bean harvests are already finished across the state. Winter wheat planting is nearly complete, and the crop is moving into late fall with mostly fair to good condition ratings.
For the week ending November 23, 2025, producers averaged 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Many areas remained dry, with topsoil moisture measured at 13 percent very short, 34 percent short, 52 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture followed a similar trend with 10 percent very short, 37 percent short, 51 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. These moisture levels provided enough stability for continued work in the fields.
Corn’s harvest reached 92 percent, slightly behind last year’s completion of 100 percent and below the five-year average of 98 percent. Sorghum harvest stood at 87 percent, also trailing the previous year and the five-year norm. Even with these delays, progress continues at a steady pace as weather conditions allow.
Winter wheat progress remains encouraging as planting is 99 percent complete, matching both last year’s pace and the five-year average. Emergence reached 93 percent, only slightly behind historical trends. Condition ratings showed 3 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. These ratings indicate that the crop is entering winter in a mostly stable shape despite earlier weather challenges.
The resumption of national reporting provides important clarity for producers as they evaluate field conditions, plan remaining harvest tasks, and prepare for winter. Nebraska’s crop progress demonstrates continued resilience, supported by workable weather windows and consistent management throughout the late fall season.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-eugenesergeev
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn, Soybeans, Sorghum, Harvesting, Weather