Soybeans almost finished setting pods

Aug 22, 2018

Louisiana is only state to report complete podding

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The 2018 U.S. soybean crop has nearly completed the podding stage.

About 91 percent of American soybean acres have podded, the USDA’s Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin report says. That number is up from 84 percent last week.

Only soybeans in Louisiana are completely podded, while crops in 10 other states are more than 90 percent podded.

Soybeans in North Carolina are 65 percent podded, which the lowest progress among the 18 primary production states.

The USDA ranked 65 percent of the total soybean crop as good to excellent.

Corn

The U.S. corn crop is reaching the halfway point of the dented stage.

About 44 percent of American corn acres are in this stage, the USDA says. That number is up from 26 percent last week.

On a state level, corn in Texas is the furthest along at 82 percent dented.

Corn in Colorado is only eight percent dented, which is the lowest among the 18 primary corn states.

The USDA ranked 68 percent of the total corn crop as good to excellent.

Wheat

U.S. farmers are almost finished with their winter wheat harvests.

Growers have combined about 97 percent of the winter wheat crop, the USDA says. That figure is up from 94 percent last week.

American producers have finished winter wheat harvest in a majority of the 18 primary production states.

Winter wheat in Washington is only 84 percent harvested, which is the lowest progress in the nation.

U.S. growers also continue to harvest their spring wheat acres.

About 60 percent of the 2018 spring wheat harvest is complete, the USDA says. That represents a 25 percent increase from last week.

Growers in South Dakota have combined 91 percent of their spring wheat, which is the highest among the six primary spring wheat states.

Farmers in Montana have completed 45 percent of their spring wheat harvest, which is the lowest of the six documented states.

The USDA ranked 74 percent of the spring wheat crop as good to excellent.

Suitable fieldwork days

Farmers in California, Nevada, Oregon and Utah experienced seven suitable fieldwork days for the week ending Aug. 19.

The states with the fewest suitable fieldwork days during the same week were New York (2.5), Connecticut (3) and Pennsylvania (3.5).

Weekly precipitation levels

State	Precipitation (inches)	Weather Station
Illinois	1.35	Springfield
Indiana	2.35	Fort Wayne
Iowa	2.14	Dubuque
Kentucky	3.99	Louisville
Michigan	0.81	Lansing
Missouri	1.16	Springfield
New York	4.25	Binghamton
Pennsylvania	6.64	Wilkes-Barre
Tennessee	2.05	Nashville

The next Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin will be released Aug. 28.

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