By DTN Staff
OMAHA (DTN) -- U.S. winter wheat condition worsened last week, according to USDA's latest weekly Crop Progress report issued Monday.
For the week ended April 8, 2018, winter wheat was rated only 30% in good-to-excellent condition, down 2 percentage points from 32% the previous week and well below 53% at the same time last year. It is the crop's lowest good-to-excellent rating in over 20 years.
Thirty-five percent of winter wheat was rated poor to very poor, up 5 percentage points from 30% the previous week and well above 13% last year.
Based on USDA's condition ratings, DTN's Winter Wheat Index was 50, the lowest rating back to at least 1996-97, said DTN Analyst Todd Hultman.
USDA also reported national corn planting progress for this first time this season. As of Sunday, 2% of corn was planted, down 1 percentage point from last year but equal to the five-year average.
Sorghum was 17% planted, compared to 18% last year and a 15% five-year average. Oats were 27% planted as of April 8, compared to 32% last year and a 34% average. Emergence was at 25%, compared to 26% last year and a 27% average.
Cotton planting was 7% complete, compared to 6% last year and a 5% average. Rice was 21% planted, compared to 29% last year and a 22% average. Eleven percent of rice was emerged.
The following are highlights from weekly crop progress reports issued by National Ag Statistics Service offices in individual states. To view the full reports from each state, visit http://www.nass.usda.gov/…
Colorado
Fieldwork continued to progress last week despite minor precipitation events across the state. Some areas received scattered moisture last week, but others remained dry and much of the state continued to see adverse effects due to widespread drought conditions. Days suitable for fieldwork was 5.9 days, up from the previous week's 5.7 days. Topsoil moisture is 23% very short, 39% short, 37% adequate and 1% surplus. Subsoil moisture is 17% very short, 30% short, 51% adequate and 2% surplus. Barley planted is 10% with 17% the five-year average. Spring wheat planted is 14% with 13% the five-year average. Winter wheat pastured is 9% also the five-year average. Winter wheat jointed is 3% with 7% the five-year average. Winter wheat crop condition is 19% very poor to poor, 39% fair and 42% good to excellent.
Illinois
Colder temperatures with light rain and patches of snow have delayed planting and fieldwork throughout much of the state. There was 0.5 day suitable for fieldwork during the week-ending April 8. The average temperature was 34.0 degrees, 13.6 degrees below normal. Precipitation averaged 0.77 inch, 0.07 inch above normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated at 1% very short, 3% short, 59% adequate and 37% surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated at 2% very short, 9% short, 67% adequate and 22% surplus. Winter wheat headed reached 3%. Winter wheat condition was rated at 4% very poor, 8% poor, 38% fair, 43% good and 7% excellent.
Indiana
Spring weather was absent throughout the week. Cold and windy conditions with several periods of snow and heavy rains stalled most field work. The statewide average temperature was 36.9 degrees, 9.9 degrees below normal. After a colder-than-normal March, conditions are far from ideal for planting. The statewide average precipitation total was 1.74 inches, 0.83 inch above normal. Rainfall amounts varied from 0.14 inch to 4.11 inches over the week. There was only 0.6 day available for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture is 0% very short, 2% short, 46% adequate and 52% surplus. Subsoil moisture is 0% very short, 3% short, 51% adequate and 46% surplus. Winter wheat jointing is 12%. Winter wheat crop condition is 9% very poor to poor, 33% fair and 58% good to excellent.
Iowa
Another cold, wet week prevented fieldwork across most of Iowa with just 0.8 day suitable for fieldwork. Isolated reports of grain transport and fertilizer application were received. Topsoil moisture levels rated 2% very short, 7% short, 76% adequate and 15% surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 3% very short, 12% short, 77% adequate and 8% surplus. South-central and southeast Iowa moisture conditions continue to be dry with over one-third of topsoil considered short to very short and over one-half of subsoil short to very short. Four percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, eight days behind both last year and the five-year average.
Kansas
There were 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork last week. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 35% very short, 35% short, 30% adequate and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 32% very short, 39% short, 29% adequate and 0% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 13% very poor, 31% poor, 43% fair, 12% good and 1% excellent. Winter wheat jointing was 13%, well behind 41% last year and 35% for the five-year average. Corn planting was 2%, near 4% last year, and behind 7% average.
Michigan
There were 1.5 days suitable for fieldwork in Michigan last week. Another week of cold and windy weather hindered fieldwork. An abundance of snow cover accompanied with below-average temperatures prevented the start of fieldwork in northern Michigan while snow showers and cold weather limited fieldwork in central Michigan. Snowfall, rain showers and below-normal temperatures kept many producers out of the fields in southern Michigan. Winter wheat progressed slowly due to the cold weather, and oat planting was delayed by wet-soil conditions. Despite the winter-like conditions, fieldwork activities during the week included hauling manure, spreading fertilizer and equipment maintenance.
Minnesota
Additional snowfall and lower-than-normal temperatures across the state resulted in no days suitable for fieldwork last week. Snow cover remains widespread with much of the state reporting temperatures well below normal. Topsoil moisture: 0% very short, 2% short, 60% adequate and 38% surplus. Subsoil moisture: 0% very short, 4% short, 77% adequate and 19% surplus. Pastures remain dormant as spring calving continues, while some producers struggled with dwindling hay supplies and sloppy cattle yards.
Missouri
Average temperatures for the week were well below average with slightly below average precipitation, delaying planting and limiting fieldwork throughout most of the state, according to the USDA, National Ag Statistics Service, Heartland Regional Field Office. Hay and roughage supplies are also getting critically short in some areas for producers due to unseasonal weather conditions. Temperatures last week averaged 37.0 degrees, 13.8 degrees below normal. Precipitation averaged 0.40 inches statewide, 0.28 inches below normal. There were 1.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ended April 8, 2018. Topsoil moisture: 3% very short, 7% short, 68% adequate, and 22% surplus. Subsoil moisture: 4% very short, 12% short, 76% adequate, and 8% surplus. One percent of corn is planted, compared to 4% last year and a 7% average.
Nebraska
There were 2.6 days suitable for fieldwork last week. Topsoil moisture: 2% very short, 17% short, 77% adequate, and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture: 3% very short, 25% short, 70% adequate, and 2% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 1% very poor, 7% poor, 34% fair, 46% good, and 12% excellent. Oats planted was 18%, behind 36% last year, and well behind 38% for the five-year average. Emerged was 2%, near 5% last year and 4% average.
North Dakota
There was 0.1 day suitable for fieldwork last week. Reports indicated that, on average, producers intended to begin fieldwork on May 3. Topsoil moisture: 10% very short, 31%, 55% adequate, and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture: 14% very short, 33% short, 52% adequate, and 1% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 4% very poor, 9% poor, 53% fair, 31% good, and 3% excellent.
Ohio
There was less than 1 day suitable for fieldwork in Ohio last week. Excessive precipitation and low temperatures continued to delay fieldwork and crop progress, and even led to flooding across parts the state. Soil temperatures slid back down to the low 30s in the northern part of Ohio and back down to the low 40s in the southern part of the state. Statewide, topsoil moisture was rated 1% short, 27% adequate and 72% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 1% short, 34% adequate and 65% surplus. Winter wheat jointing was 1%, behind the average pace of 6%. Winter wheat condition was rated 73% good to excellent. Oats were 1% planted and zero percent emerged.
Oklahoma
Precipitation totals last week were less than a half inch across the state with the exception of the east-central and southeast districts, which recorded 1.40 and 1.49 inches, respectively. Statewide, temperatures averaged in the mid-40s. Topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly very short to adequate. There were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Winter wheat jointing reached 57%, down 24 points from the previous year and down 14 points from normal. Winter wheat headed reached 1%, down 1 point from normal. Canola blooming reached 23%, down 11 points from normal. Extremely cold temperatures at the end of the week had a negative impact on small grain conditions. Corn planted reached 12%, down 3 points from the previous year and down 6 points from normal. Sorghum planted reached 1%, down 2 points from normal.
South Dakota
There were 0.4 day suitable for fieldwork last week. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 4% very short, 20% short, 72% adequate and 4% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 10% very short, 31% short, 58% adequate and 1% surplus. Winter wheat condition was rated 22% good to excellent.
Texas
A cold front hit Texas late in the week, bringing freezing temperatures to areas in the Northern and Southern Plains. The western part of the state had a very dry week, while the Blacklands, east Texas, the Upper Coast, the Coastal Bend, the Lower Valley and parts of south-central Texas received from 0.5 inch to 2 inches of rain. Hail and strong winds damaged several crops in the Blacklands, including wheat, oats, corn and sorghum. Statewide, topsoil moisture was rated 36% very short, 24% short, 37% adequate and 3% surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 33% very short, 27% short, 37% adequate and 3% surplus. Corn was 58% planted as of Sunday, ahead of the average pace of 51%, and 40% was emerged, well ahead of the average of 29%. Cotton was 12% planted, ahead of the average of 8%. Rice was 65% planted and 44% emerged. Sorghum was 55% planted, ahead of the average of 40%. Winter wheat was 17% headed, slightly behind the average pace of 19%. Winter wheat condition was rated 14% good to excellent.
Wisconsin
Heavy snow fell across the state on Tuesday night, halting manure spreading and other early fieldwork. Additional snow showers later in the week dropped anywhere from a trace to several inches of snow in many areas. Southern Wisconsin saw light snows that melted quickly, while the northern portions of the state remained buried under thick drifts. Overnight lows dropped into the teens, keeping the ground frozen. Reporters noted that overwintered crops were greening in a few areas but remain snow covered in most of the state. Statewide, topsoil moisture supplies were rated 2% very short, 13% short, 75% adequate and 10% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 2% very short, 16% short, 75% adequate and 7% surplus. As of April 8, spring tillage was 1% complete statewide, 1 percentage point behind last year but equal to the five-year average. Oats planted were reported as 1% complete, 1 point behind the five-year average. Winter wheat was 48% in good-to-excellent condition statewide, up 2 percentage points from the previous week.
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| National Crop Progress Summary |
| This | Last | Last | 5-Year |
| Week | Week | Year | Avg. |
| Corn Planted | 2 | NA | 3 | 2 |
| Cotton Planted | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| Sorghum Planted | 17 | 9 | 18 | 15 |
| Spring Wheat Planted | 2 | NA | 4 | 6 |
| Winter Wheat Headed | 3 | NA | 8 | 4 |
| Barley Planted | 4 | NA | 8 | 12 |
| Oats Planted | 27 | 26 | 32 | 34 |
| Oats Emerged | 25 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| Rice Planted | 21 | 17 | 29 | 22 |
| Rice Emerged | 11 | 6 | 12 | 8 |
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| National Crop Condition Summary |
| (VP=Very Poor; P=Poor; F=Fair; G=Good; E=Excellent) |
| This Week | | Last Week | | Last Year |
| VP | P | F | G | E | | VP | P | F | G | E | | VP | P | F | G | E |
| Winter Wheat | 14 | 21 | 35 | 26 | 4 | | 11 | 19 | 38 | 28 | 4 | | 3 | 10 | 34 | 46 | 7 |
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