USDA : Weekly Agricultural Summary

While cooler than normal temperatures prevailed in areas along

the Pacific Coast, throughout the Southwest, and in New England, abnormally

warm temperatures continued throughout the remainder of the country,

promoting rapid summer crop development and small grain maturity.

Precipitation in excess of 2.5 inches fell in locations scattered throughout

the Nation during the week, bringing some relief to unusually dry fields in

areas of the Southeast while adding to already saturated fields in portions

of the Corn Belt. Elsewhere, much of the Pacific Coast, locations in the

central Great Plains, and New England received less than 5 percent of their

normal precipitation.

Corn: Nationally, 93 percent of this year’s corn crop was at the silking

stage or beyond by week’s end, 19 percentage points ahead of last year and

7 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Silking throughout the Corn

Belt was nearly complete ahead of both last year and normal. Thirty-one

percent of the corn crop was at or beyond the dough stage by August 1,

eighteen percentage points ahead of last year and 7 percentage points ahead

of the 5-year average. Warm temperatures contributed to rapid phenological

development in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, and Michigan, where 21 percent or

more of the corn crop reached the dough stage during the week. In Iowa, the

largest corn-producing State, additional rainfall during the week left many

low-lying fields completely saturated, stunting growth and causing yellowing

in some fields. Nationwide, 7 percent of the corn crop was at or beyond the

dented stage, 4 percentage points ahead of last year and slightly ahead of

the 5-year average. Overall, 71 percent of the corn crop was reported in good

to excellent condition, down slightly from ratings last week but 3 percentage

points better than the same time last year.

Soybeans: Warm, mostly sunny weather promoted rapid phenological development

throughout much of the major soybean-producing areas during the week. By

week’s end, blooming had advanced to 86 percent complete, 12 percentage

points ahead of last year and 3 percentage points ahead of the 5-year

average. By August 1, pods were set on 53 percent of the Nation’s soybean

acreage, 20 percentage points ahead of last year and 5 percentage points

ahead of the 5-year average. While pod setting was most advanced in the

Delta, nearly ideal growing conditions in Indiana had pushed progress to

14 days ahead of the 5-year average pace. Overall, 66 percent of the soybean

crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly from both

ratings last week and the same time last year.

Winter Wheat: Producers had harvested 83 percent of this year’s winter wheat

crop by August 1, on par with last year’s pace but 5 percentage points behind

the 5-year average. Harvest began in Montana during the week, but fell to

42 percentage points behind normal, equivalent to 19 days behind.

Cotton: By August 1, ninety-six percent of this year’s cotton crop was at or

beyond the squaring stage, 3 percentage points ahead of last year and

4 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Squaring was complete or

nearly complete in all estimating States except Alabama, Oklahoma, and

Virginia. Nationwide, 69 percent of the cotton crop was setting bolls,

7 percentage points ahead of last year and 6 percentage points ahead of the

5-year average. In Texas, ideal weather in the Northern High Plains provided

excellent growing conditions for this year’s crop, while some cotton fields

in the Southern High Plains exhibited yellowing due to a lack of adequate

nitrogen. Overall, 66 percent of the cotton crop was reported in good to

excellent condition, down slightly from ratings last week but 16 percentage

points better than the same time last year.

Sorghum: Nationwide, 55 percent of the sorghum crop was at or beyond the

heading stage by week’s end, 10 percentage points ahead of last year and

slightly ahead of the 5-year average. Most notably, head development in

Oklahoma was 31 percentage points ahead of last year’s pace and 29 percentage

points ahead of normal. Coloring inched forward during the week, reaching

28 percent complete by August 1, slightly behind both last year and the

5-year average. The most significant delay was evident in Texas, where

coloring was nearly two weeks behind normal. Overall, 69 percent of the

sorghum crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly from

ratings last week but 19 percentage points better than the same time last

year.

Rice: Nationally, 65 percent of the 2010 rice crop was headed by August 1,

twenty-six percentage points ahead of last year and 18 percentage points

ahead of the 5-year average. In Arkansas, the largest rice-producing State,

continued above average temperatures allowed for rapid crop maturity and by

week’s end, head development was over three weeks ahead of normal and

3 percent of the crop was reported as being ripe. Overall, 72 percent of the

rice crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly from

ratings last week but 10 percentage points better than the same time last

year.

Small Grains: Oat producers had harvested 47 percent of this year’s crop by

week’s end, 21 percentage points ahead of last year and slightly ahead of the

5-year average. Harvest continued at a rapid pace in most estimating State,

but remained behind normal the Dakotas. Overall, 76 percent of the oat crop

was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly from ratings last

week but 16 percentage points better than the same time last year.

By August 1, ninety-seven percent of the barley crop was at or beyond the

heading stage, on par with last year but slightly behind the 5-year average.

Overall, 86 percent of the barley crop was reported in good to excellent

condition, unchanged from ratings last week but 8 percentage points better

than the same time last year.

Heading of this year’s spring wheat crop advanced to 98 percent complete by

week’s end, slightly ahead of last year but 1 percentage point behind the

5-year average. Although a return of above average temperatures in Idaho and

Montana promoted head development of 11 percent or more during the week,

overall progress remained behind normal. Producers had harvested 5 percent of

the crop by August 1, two percentage points ahead of last year but

8 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Overall, 82 percent of the

spring wheat crop was reported in good to excellent condition, down slightly

from ratings last week but 11 percentage points better than the same time

last year.

Other Crops: Nationwide, 86 percent of the peanut crop was at or beyond the

pegging stage by August 1, seven percentage points ahead of last year and

slightly ahead of the 5-year average. In Virginia, hot temperatures and

abnormally dry soils continued to hinder normal peg development, leaving

progress 25 percentage points, or over two weeks behind the 5-year average.

Overall, 57 percent of the peanut crop was reported in good to excellent

condition, down 12 percentage points from both ratings last week and the same

time last year.