U.S. soybeans begin dropping leaves

Soybeans in Louisiana lead the U.S.

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

The 2018 U.S. soybean crop continues to prepare for harvest.

About 7 percent of American soybean acres have dropped leaves, the USDA’s Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin report says. That number is up from 5 percent at this time last year.

Soybeans in Louisiana have dropped 54 percent of their leaves, which is the highest amount among the 18 primary production states.

Soybean fields in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina and Wisconsin have dropped 1 percent of their leaves. Crops in Iowa and Missouri are yet to drop any leaves.

The USDA ranked 66 percent of the total 2018 soybean crop as good or excellent.

Corn

U.S. corn fields are entering the maturation state.

About 10 percent of the 2018 corn crop is mature, the USDA says. That number is up from 5 percent at this time in 2017.

Corn in North Carolina is 67 percent mature, which is the highest amount among the documented states.

Corn in Colorado and Wisconsin is only 1 percent mature, and fields in Pennsylvania and Minnesota are yet to mature at all.

The USDA ranked 68 percent of the corn crop as good or excellent.

Wheat

U.S. producers continue to harvest the 2018 spring wheat crop.

Growers have harvested about 77 percent of all U.S. spring wheat acres, the USDA says. That number is up from 60 percent last week.

Farmers in South Dakota have combined 97 percent of their spring wheat, which is the highest value of the six documented states. Growers in Montana are 61 percent through their spring wheat harvest, which is the lowest progress recorded.

Suitable fieldwork days

Farmers in Oregon, California and Nevada experienced seven suitable fieldwork days for the week ending Aug. 26.

During that same week, farmers in New York (3.5), Kansas (3.8), Connecticut and Indiana (4), experienced the fewest days suitable for fieldwork.

Weekly precipitation levels

The next Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin will be released Sept. 4.