USDA Crop Progress Report - Corn, Soybean Harvest Move Ahead of Average Pace

OMAHA (DTN) -- The nation's row-crop harvest -- particularly the soybean harvest -- picked up speed last week, pushing progress ahead of five-year averages, USDA NASS reported in its weekly Crop Progress report on Tuesday. The report is normally released on Mondays but was delayed this week due to the holiday.

CORN

-- Harvest progress: 31% of corn was harvested as of Sunday, Oct. 9, up 11 percentage points from the previous week. This year's harvest progress is still 8 percentage points behind last year's 39% but moved to 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average of 30%. "North Carolina and Texas led the way at 88% and 85% harvested, respectively," said DTN Senior Analyst Dana Mantini. "Major producers Iowa and Illinois are 23% and 27% harvested, with Illinois 16 points behind average. Minnesota is just 14% harvested, while Nebraska corn is 34% harvested -- well above average."

-- Crop development: Corn mature was estimated at 87%, 2 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 85%.

-- Crop condition: 54% of corn remaining in fields was rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 2 percentage points from 52% the previous week but 6 percentage points below last year's rating of 60%.

SOYBEANS

-- Harvest progress: 44% of the crop was harvested as of Sunday, up 22 percentage points from the previous week. That is 3 percentage points behind last year's 47% but is now 6 percentage points ahead of the five-year average of 38%. "Louisiana is leading the pack at 87% harvested, while big producers Iowa and Illinois are 55% done and 31% done, respectively," Mantini said. "Iowa is nearly 20 points faster than the average, and Minnesota, at 63% done, and Nebraska, at 54% harvested, are both well ahead of the five-year average pace."

-- Crop development: 91% of soybeans were dropping leaves, 3 percentage points ahead of the five-year average.

-- Crop condition: 57% of soybeans remaining in fields were rated in good-to-excellent condition, up 2 percentage points from 55% previous week but 2 percentage points below last year's rating of 59%.

WINTER WHEAT

-- Planting progress: 55% of winter wheat was planted as of Sunday, 3 percentage points behind the average pace of 58%. "Nebraska and Colorado are leading the way at 86% and 85% planted, respectively," said DTN Lead Analyst Todd Hultman. "Top-producing Kansas is 50% planted and neighbor Oklahoma is 38% planted, two states among several in the western Plains that could use more rain."

-- Crop development: 26% of winter wheat was emerged as of Sunday, 6 percentage points behind the five-year average of 32%. "The crop in Kansas is 19% emerged, down from a five-year average of 31% for this time of year," Hultman said.

WEEK AHEAD IN WEATHER

After gaining steam last week, harvest could be slowed in some parts of the country this week due to scattered precipitation, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.

"There may be some challenges to harvest this week," Baranick said. "A series of cold fronts will be moving across the country, producing areas of scattered showers and some thunderstorms as well. There will be pockets of moderate rain that could lead to wet fields. Showers are not as likely through the western Plains, which is unfortunate for those with pastures or winter grains in extreme drought. The fronts are also coming with some strong winds, which may cause some limited lodging and lead to increased risks of fires in some of the driest areas.

"One area that may benefit is in Texas and Oklahoma. They've already had some good rains over the last week. While showers will be limited for much of the week, a cold front that sags down into Texas on Sunday will likely light up with additional showers and thunderstorms into early next week. That could mean more beneficial rainfall and drought reduction."