Crop Progress and Condition Report for the Week Ending Aug. 24
Widespread rains in Minnesota slowed small grains harvesting and allowed for 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork across the state during the week ending August 24, 2014, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The additional rains helped improve row crop and pasture conditions. Field activities for the week included tilling preventive planting acres for weed control, spraying for aphids, and preparing combines for harvest.
Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 19 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 2 percent very short, 17 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.
Seventy-eight percent of the corn crop was at or beyond the dough stage, up 15 percentage points from the previous week, with 71 percent in good to excellent condition.
Ninety-two percent of the soybean acres are setting pods, up 7 points from the previous week. Soybean conditions increased slightly and now stand at 66 percent good to excellent.
Spring wheat harvest, at 22 percent complete, is nearly three weeks behind the five year average. Fifty-seven percent of the Spring wheat crop was in good to excellent condition.
Five percent of the potato crop has been harvested, 12 points behind average. Potato conditions decreased slightly to 83 percent good to excellent.
Seventy-five percent of the oat crop is now harvested, 5 days behind the five-year average.
Dry edible beans progressed to 85 percent setting pods. Dry edible bean condition increased slightly from last week with 55 percent of the crop now in good to excellent condition. Sugarbeet conditions increased from last week and now stand at 70 percent in good to excellent condition. Sunflower conditions held steady at 39 percent rated good to excellent.
The second and third cuttings of alfalfa hay were 94 and 53 percent complete, respectively. All hay conditions increased to 68 percent good to excellent. Pasture conditions increased to 63 percent good to excellent.
