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Pasture, Range Conditions in South Plains Show Minor Improvement as Summer Crops Near Maturity

The US Department of Agriculture on Monday, August 13, 2018 released its latest USDA Crop Progress report, according to which the US corn crop is 73 percent doughing, 15 points higher than last year and 17 points better than normal. Corn dented is at 26 percent, better than 15 last year and 13 on average, with a current crop condition rating of 12 percent poor to very poor, 26 fair and 62 good to excellent. Meanwhile, the US soybean crop is rated this week 96 percent blooming, marginally above last year’s 93 and the five-year average of 92. Setting pods rates 84 this week, above 77 last year and 72 the average, with a condition rating of 10 poor to very poor, 24 fair and 66 good to excellent.


Click here to review the complete USDA Crop Progress report released on Monday, August 13, 2018.


In Oklahoma this week, corn silk reached 95 percent. Corn dough reached 68 percent, up 2 points from the previous year and 6 points ahead of normal. Corn dent reached 23 percent, down 1 point from the previous year. Corn’s condition this week rates 7 percent poor to very poor, 20 fair and 73 good to excellent. Sorghum headed reached 68 percent, up 3 points from the previous year. Sorghum coloring reached 30 percent, down 7 points from the previous year. Sorghum mature reached 6 percent, up 4 points from the previous year. Sorghum’s condition this week is at 13 poor to very poor, 42 fair and 45 good to excellent. Soybeans blooming reached 70 percent, up 3 points from the previous year and 11 points ahead of normal. Soybeans setting pods reached 35 percent, unchanged from the previous year and 13 points ahead of normal. Soybean’s condition this week rates 17 poor to very poor, 36 fair and 47 good to excellent. Cotton squaring is at 99 percent this week, while setting bolls is at 70 percent. Cotton bolls opening reached 4 percent, up 2 points from the previous year and up 3 points from normal. Cotton’s condition this week rates 46 percent poor to very poor, 31 fair and 23 good to excellent. Conditions of pasture and range were rated at 23 poor to very poor, 39 fair and 38 good to excellent.


Click here to review the complete Crop Progress report for Oklahoma.


In Kansas, corn condition rated 7 percent very poor, 15 poor, 31 fair, 41 good, and 6 excellent. Corn dough was 77 percent, ahead of 67 both last year and for the five-year average. Dented was 42 percent, well ahead of 22 last year and 19 average. Mature was 6 percent. Soybean condition rated 7 percent very poor, 15 poor, 38 fair, 37 good, and 3 excellent. Soybeans blooming was 94 percent, ahead of 89 last year and 85 average. Setting pods was 74 percent, ahead of 64 last year, and well ahead of 54 average. Sorghum condition rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 32 fair, 53 good, and 9 excellent. Sorghum headed was 72 percent, ahead of 62 both last year and average. Coloring was 15 percent, ahead of 3 last year and 7 average. Cotton condition rated 1 percent very poor, 1 poor, 31 fair, 55 good, and 12 excellent. Cotton setting bolls was 54 percent, ahead of 36 last year and 37 average. Bolls opening was 1 percent, near 2 last year, and equal to average. Pasture and range conditions rated 15 percent very poor, 20 poor, 34 fair, 28 good, and 3 excellent.


Click here to review the complete Crop Progress report for Kansas.


In Texas, small grain producers in the High Plains, the Blacklands and East Texas continued field preparations for 2019 crops. Dryland cotton in the Plains benefited little from recent precipitation, while cotton under irrigation continued to progress well. Meanwhile, cotton harvest pressed on in the Coastal Bend, South Texas and the Lower Valley. Corn harvest continued in the Blacklands, South Central Texas, the Upper Coast and South Texas. Soybean and rice harvest progressed in areas of the Upper Coast. Corn silked reached 97 percent this week. Dough is rated at 91 percent, with dented at 79 percent. Mature is at 52 this week while 48 percent of the crop has been reported harvested. Corn’s condition in Texas this week rates 36 poor to very poor, 35 fair and 29 good to excellent. Cotton squaring reached 95 this week, while setting bolls climbed to 71 percent, bolls opening at 17 and just 6 percent of the crop reported harvested this week. Cotton’s condition in Texas rates this week at 52 poor to very poor, 28 fair and 20 good to excellent. Sorghum headed rates 87 percent complete this week, coloring at 77 percent, mature at 61 and 58 percent of the crop has been harvested. Sorghum’s condition this week rates 38 poor to very poor, 39 fair and 23 good to excellent. Pasture and range conditions in Texas this week rate 57 percent poor to very poor, 31 fair and 12 good to excellent.

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