USDA Crop Progress: Harvest Moves Forward.

Oct 25, 2016

USDA Released the Weekly Crop Progress Report.

This year’s U.S. corn and soybean harvests continue to move close to the respective average paces. Development rates during the growing season and harvest paces have varied widely from state to state and even within the states, but a number of states made good progress over the past week and the USDA is projecting record corn and soybean production this year.

The USDA says that as of Sunday, 61% of U.S. corn is harvested, compared to the five year average of 62%, and soybeans are 76% harvested, matching the typical timeline. Both harvests are far enough along that the USDA has discontinued the national condition ratings for the season.

U.S. winter wheat planting is a little slower than normal at 79%, while emergence is ahead of average at 60%. In the first rating of this season, 59% of U.S. winter wheat is in good to excellent condition, 12% more than in the first rating last season.

45% of U.S. pastures and rangelands are in good to excellent shape, down 1% on the week.

For the state by state breakdown visit the USDA Report at the following link

http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProg/CropProg-10-24-2016.txt

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.