Farmers getting back into the fields

For the week ending April 16, farmers began to get back into the field as warm and windy conditions began drying out soils, according to the Nebraska Agricultural Statistics Service, April 17.

Most field work involved tillage and application of fertilizers and chemicals in preparation of corn and soybean planting. In the west, planting sugarbeets progressed.

Wheat conditions were almost unchanged from last week and rated 4 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 6 percent excellent, below last year but above average. Wheat jointed was at 13 percent, behind 19 percent last year, but ahead of the average 9 percent. Alfalfa conditions rated 2 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 15 percent excellent. This continues to be behind last year.

Oat planting drastically increased due to the drier conditions last week and jumped to 73 percent, behind last year at 85 percent but ahead of the average 62 percent. Oats emerged was at 14 percent, behind 33 percent last year and 19 percent average. Sugarbeet planting showed good progress from last week and was 21 percent complete, same as last year.

Corn planted was at 3 percent with much of that taking place in the southeastern part of the state. This is behind last year but equal to the five-year average.

Pasture and range conditions rated 6 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 7 percent excellent, above last year. Cattle and calf condition rated mostly good. Spring calving was 82 percent complete, near year ago levels. Despite the wet conditions of the past weeks, calf losses continued to rate average to below average.

Date: 4/19/06

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