U.S. soybeans beginning to drop leaves, according to the USDA

Early figures are above last year’s numbers

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Soybean crops in a majority of U.S. states are starting to drop their leaves, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) latest Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin.

6 percent of the soybean crop has dropped its leaves as of Sunday, according to the report. That number is up 1 percent from the five-year average.

On a state level, 54 percent of soybean fields in Louisiana have dropped their leaves. In contrast, only 1 percent of soybean fields in Ohio and Missouri have dropped their leaves.

Those numbers represent the highest and lowest numbers among the 18 states recorded.

And the USDA ranked 50 percent of the U.S. soybean crop as good.

Corn

The corn crop across the U.S. is also beginning to mature, according to the USDA’s report.

6 percent of the total crop is mature, which is down 2 percent from the number recorded at this time last year.

72 percent of North Carolina’s corn crop is mature, which is the largest percentage of the 18 states documented.

Conversely, corn in Ohio, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa is only 1 percent mature.

And almost half of the U.S. corn crop is dented, the USDA reports.

44 percent of the total corn crop is dented, up from 29 percent the previous week.

92 percent of North Carolina’s corn crop is dented, making it the highest among the recorded states.

And 17 percent of Wisconsin’s corn crop is dented, which the lowest number among the 18 documented states.

The USDA also ranked 48 percent of the corn crop as good.

Spring wheat

American farmers were busy harvesting spring wheat, according to the USDA.

The August 27 report indicates 76 percent of the spring wheat harvest is complete, up 18 percent from last week.

Farmers in South Dakota have completed 93 percent of their spring wheat harvest, which is the most of the six states documented.

And farmers in Minnesota, with 65 percent of their spring wheat harvest completed, have the lowest percentage recorded.

Fieldwork days

The states with the highest amount of suitable fieldwork days for the week ending August 27, were:

• Nevada, Arizona, Maine and Massachusetts – 7
• Utah, Idaho, Washington and Oregon – 6.9
• Wyoming and Colorado – 6.8

The states with the fewest amount of suitable fieldwork days were:

• Minnesota – 3.3
• Iowa – 4.4
• South Dakota – 4.8
• Nebraska – 5.1

Weekly precipitation levels

The next Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin is scheduled for release on Tues., Sept. 5.