Warm Weather Spurs Crop Progress
Published: Friday, July 12, 2019
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending July 7.
Warmer and drier weather continued last week, allowing farmers to complete some much-needed fieldwork. Scattered storms throughout the week kept soil moisture levels high.
The average temperature for the week was 79 degrees Fahrenheit, 5.2 degrees above normal for the state.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to 2.63 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was 1.12 inches.
There were 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork.
With corn planting behind them, farmers focused on getting the rest of their soybeans in the ground last week. Warm and relatively dry weather spurred crop growth, but corn and soybean crop development still lagged significantly behind previous years.
Winter wheat harvest was well underway, especially for those planning to double crop soybeans.
The first cutting of hay was finally wrapping up, and the second cutting was running behind schedule. Pasture conditions were stable, and livestock were enjoying the continued pasture growth.
Other activities for the week included sidedressing corn, spraying for weeds and replanting soybeans where necessary.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 1 percent; short, 9 percent; adequate, 69 percent; surplus, 21 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 0 percent; short, 6 percent; adequate, 68 percent; surplus, 26 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: corn, planted 98, 95, 100, 100; corn, emerged 93, 88, 100, 100; corn, silking 1, NA, 45, 22; soybeans, planted 93, 88, 100, 100; soybeans, emerged 85, 73, 100, 99; soybeans, blooming 1, NA, 51, 32; winter wheat, mature 87, 77, 96, 92; winter wheat, harvested 48, 28, 76, 64; alfalfa hay, first cutting 92, 81, 100, 99; alfalfa hay, second cutting 20, 4, 56, 47; other hay, first cutting 87, 77, 99, 97; other hay, second cutting 15, 2, 41, 35.
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