The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Oct. 18.
Small, inconsistent showers did little to replenish soil moisture, as dry conditions persisted for another week. Soil moisture levels increased marginally from the previous week, with 74 percent of topsoil moisture reported as short or very short.
The average tem-perature for the week was 52.9 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.7 degrees below normal for the state.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to .67 inches over the week. The statewide av-erage precipitation was .30 inches.
There were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork.
The dry weather last week allowed for corn and soybean harvests to progress quickly, though field fires were reported throughout the state due to the dry conditions and high winds.
The percent of soy-beans harvested ended the week ahead of the five-year average at 72 percent, with corn just slightly behind schedule at 48 percent harvested.
Winter wheat emergence continued to lag the five-year average due to the lack of moisture. Livestock were reported in good condition and were receiv-ing supplemental feed as pasture growth continued to slow.
Other activities for the week in-cluded harvesting pumpkins, fall tillage and fertilizer applications, hauling grain and soil sam-pling.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 31 percent; short, 43 percent; adequate, 25 per-cent; surplus, 1 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 30 percent; short, 44 percent; adequate, 25 percent; surplus, 1.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2019 and 5-year average) showed: corn mature, 95, 91, 81, 94; corn harvested for grain, 48, 34, 33, 50; soy-beans harvested, 72, 52, 46, 61; winter wheat planted, 69, 47, 55, 60; winter wheat emerged, 24, 8, 22, 29; alfalfa hay, fourth cutting, 86, 83, 70, 81; other hay, third cutting, 94, 94, 92, 96; other hay, fourth cutting, 56, 43, 50, NA.