Nebraska

For the week ending Sept. 18, warm temperatures continued the rapid pace of crop maturity and the harvesting of all fall crops was underway, according to the Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service, Sept. 19.

Producer activities included harvesting of corn, soybeans, sorghum, dry beans and Proso millet along with weaning of calves.

Corn conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 44 percent good, and 19 percent excellent. Irrigated fields rated 81 percent good or excellent while dryland fields rated 35 percent. Ninety-seven percent of the crop had dented, ahead of 88 percent last year and 94 percent for the average. Forty-five percent of the crop had reached maturity, ahead of 29 percent last year but behind 52 percent for the average. Corn harvest had progressed slowly to 4 percent, equal to last year, but behind the average at 8 percent.

Soybean coloring had progressed to 96 percent, ahead of 86 percent last year and 87 percent for the average. Sixty-two percent of the crop had begun dropping leaves, ahead of 52 percent last year and 53 percent for the average. Harvest was underway at 4 percent. Conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. This is comparable to last year and better than average.

Sorghum conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 14 percent excellent, better than last year and average. Sorghum coloring was at 95 percent, ahead of last year at 80 percent and average at 86 percent. Twenty- nine percent of the crop had reached maturity, ahead of 14 percent last year but behind 39 percent for the average. Sorghum harvest was underway at 1 percent, equal to last year but behind the average at 10 percent.

Wheat seeded was at 51 percent, ahead of last year and average at 45 percent. Fourteen percent of the crop had emerged, compared to 13 percent last year and 15 percent for the average.

Dry Bean conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Ninety-seven percent had turned color, ahead of last year at 76 percent and the average at 88 percent. Seventy percent of the dry bean crop had begun dropping leaves, ahead of 37 percent last year and 66 percent for the average. Twenty-eight percent had been harvested, ahead of 8 percent last year but behind the average at 34 percent.

Proso millet harvest continued at 51 percent, ahead of last year at 28 percent and the average at 46 percent.

Alfalfa conditions rated 8 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 34 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. Fourth cutting was 58 percent harvested, ahead of 27 percent last year and 44 percent for the average.

Pasture and range conditions rated 8 percent very poor, 19 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 35 percent good, and 3 percent excellent. Conditions continue to be better than last year and average.