US crop progress report: Corn harvest at 93% complete, soy at 95%

Monday's publication​ showed total average corn harvest is at 93% complete compared to 78% at this time last year, across the 18 states that account for the majority of the US corn production. And, the soybean harvest is at 95% complete up from 89% at this time last year.

Overall, both crops are also slightly ahead of the average harvest for the period from 2010-2014.

However, the winter wheat crop planted is somewhat behind where it was at this point last year and from the multi-year average. For the 18 primary planting states, 92% of the crop has been planted, down from 93% at this time in 2014 and an average of 94% for the past several years.

Wheat emerged, however, is on par with the average of the past several years, but down slightly from where it was this time last year. 

Crop specifics​

At the state level, Illinois and Missouri have already completed the corn harvest, which is ahead of where they were at this point last year, reported the USDA. Colorado and Texas are the only states behind last year’s harvest schedule.

In soybeans, Illinois, Minnesota and North Dakota are the only states that have completed their harvests this year. While an advance for Illinois, the harvest report was on track for the other states.

Several states, including Indiana, Kentucky and Kansas also had 2015 harvests that were ahead of previous years. Although Louisiana and Mississippi were among the few states behind in the crop harvested.

Along with corn and soybeans, this year’s sorghum harvest is ahead of previous years, according to the report. The 11 states with the majority of the crop have brought in about 85%, up from 74% at this point in time in 2014.

Two states – Arkansas and Louisiana – have completed the harvest, which is in keeping with past years. Of the group, only South Dakota is behind last year’s harvesting schedule.

Wheat planting ​

Several states, including Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota, have completed their winter wheat planting, showed the USDA document. That work is in line with previous reports from those states.

States including Illinois and Indiana are ahead in the planting from past years. But, others like North Carolina and Texas are behind where they were at this point last year, found the US officials. 

Weather​

The weather in some states may have been preventing some field work, as several states saw more days suitable for fieldwork for the early part of November in 2014, according to USDA data.

In Alabama, farmers had six working days in 2014 to two working days this year for the week ending November 8. In Louisiana, farmers had one day in 2015 compared to almost six days in 2014.

Growers in states from Arkansas to Delaware, California, and Midwestern states like Idaho, Illinois, Iowa and Kansas, along with North Carolina and South Carolina saw workable days decrease, reported the USDA.

However, a few states including Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Michigan and New Hampshire saw an improvement in days suitable for fieldwork from 2014 to 2015. Maine had 1.7 workable days for the week ending November 8 last year compared to 5.5 this year.

The topsoil moisture is adequate for most states, with some having surplus moisture, found the US agency. A slightly larger percentage of states had adequate moisture from the previous year, it reported.  

Overall, fewer states reported being very short of water and California was the only state to have a majority of the state considered very short of moisture.

Similarly, the largest percentage of states had adequate subsoil moisture and the amount was up slightly from the year before. California, again, had the largest percentage of acreage both short, 40%, and very short, 45%, of subsoil moisture. 

The USDA crop progress report, released Monday 9 November, can be read here​.