7/30 Crop Update - KS Corn 66% Poor/Very Poor; Pasture 88% P/VP; NE Corn 36% P/VP; Pasture 84% P/VP

[hatrack]

A few Kansas producers received much-needed precipitation, but the state's moisture supplies still suffered from daily record heat last week. Salina and Alton were the only stations to receive over an inch of rain at 1.46 inches and 1.42 inches, respectively, while Belleville received 0.92 inches. These were the only three stations to receive above normal rain last week. Six more stations received over one-half inch of rain, while 13 received none. As of Sunday, 21 stations had received less than 10 inches of rain for the entire year.

Heat records were either tied or broken every day last week as weekly highs ranged from 101 degrees in Johnson to 110 degrees in Hays. All stations saw above normal temperatures with Hill City the hottest at 11 degrees above normal. Average weekly temperatures even crept into the 90s in Wichita and Winfield. Only the North Central District averaged less than 6 days suitable for fieldwork as the Statewide average was 6.7 days suitable. Topsoil moisture supplies continued to decline to 69 percent very short, 27 percent short, 4 percent adequate, and none as surplus. With 96 percent in the very short to short categories, this is the lowest July rating for topsoil moisture supplies since the program began in 1985 and the lowest overall rating since Aug. 24, 2003. Kansas subsoil moisture supplies also declined to 64 percent very short, 32 percent short, 4 percent adequate and none as surplus. Row crops continued to be stressed with the heat and wind.

Field Crop Report:

Two percent of the corn acreage had already been harvested for grain by Sunday, mostly in the Southeast District, for the earliest start to the corn harvest in Kansas history. Ninety-one percent of the corn was in the silking stage by Sunday, ahead of 84 percent last year but slightly behind 92 percent for the 5-year average. Fifty-nine percent of the crop was in the dough stage, ahead of 34 percent last year and 35 percent for the 5-year average. All districts reported corn in the dent stage with the state averaging 34 percent by Sunday. This is well ahead of last year at 5 percent and the 5-year average of 4 percent. Only the Northwest and West Central Districts have no mature corn while the Southeast District reported nearly half their corn as mature. The state's average was 12 percent mature which is well ahead of normal, as well. The condition of the corn crop declined to 34 percent very poor, 32 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 9 percent good, and 1 percent excellent.

Sixty-nine percent of the soybean crop was in the blooming stage by Sunday, slightly ahead of last year at 61 percent and the 5-year average of 68 percent. Nineteen percent of the soybean acreage was setting pods last week, ahead of 11 percent last year but behind 24 percent for the 5-year average. The condition of the crop declined to 25 percent very poor, 34 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 7 percent good, and none rated as excellent.

EDIT

http://www.midwestproducer.com/news/regional/usda-crop-and-weather-report-for-july/article_f52e29b0-da8a-11e1-9100-001a4bcf887a.html

[Gman]

1. We had those very same conditions in the middle of Texas

Last summer. It seems to have shifted a few hundred miles north this year. Last year, by mid-August, there was a severe shortage of hay.

[pscot]

2. Nobobdy but a damn fool

would try to grow corn in Kansas.

[MuseRider]

3. Bad bad bad news

but not unexpected. I wish we would get rain. It is sitting just to the West of me as I type this, a big old bunch of rain. So far it is doing what it has done since 2 springs ago, heading to the counties around (but not dropping much there) and leaving my part of the county under what should be moderate to heavy rain but actually doing no more than an occasional sprinkle.

It smells funny outside now. I don't know what it is but all around the farm areas it just has this nasty kind of sour smell.