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Moisture slows harvestKansas Moisture across Kansas has slowed harvest for another week, with only a small portion of counties reporting less than half an inch of precipitation, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Kansas Field Office, Nov. 2. More than 2 inches of rain were reported in Greenwood and Rice counties. The northwest area reported snowfall with over 8 inches in the Goodland area. Temperatures remained cold during the week but warmed to highs in the 70s by the weekend. Precipitation and below normal temperatures limited producers to an average of only 2.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies across Kansas were rated as 2 percent short, 68 percent adequate, and 30 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated as 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Limited activities for the week included harvesting corn, sorghum, sunflowers, and soybeans, along with planting winter wheat. Below average temperatures combined with above average precipitation has delayed row crop harvest for the past 4 weeks. Sorghum is the hardest hit being 42 points behind average, while corn and soybeans are behind the average by 34 and 23 points, respectively. Fifty-two percent of the corn crop has been harvested, behind both last year at 69 percent and the 5-year average of 86 percent. Corn condition is rated as 3 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 19 percent excellent. Eighty-nine percent of the sorghum crop has reached maturity, the same as last year but behind the 5-year average of 94 percent. Farmers have harvested only 17 percent of the sorghum crop, behind 2008 at 37 percent and 59 percent for the 5-year average. Sorghum condition is rated as 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 51 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Fifty-five percent of the soybean crop has been harvested, behind 2008 at 70 percent and the 5-year average of 78 percent. The condition of the soybean crop is rated as 2 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 28 percent excellent. Snow and rain again slowed wheat planting, as the progress only advanced 3 points last week. Eighty-three percent of the winter wheat has been planted, behind last year's 90 percent and the 5-year average of 94 percent. Seventy percent has emerged, behind 81 percent for both last year and the 5-year average. Wheat condition is rated as 3 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. Seventy percent of the cotton has bolls opening, behind 99 percent for last year and 92 percent for the 5-year average. Harvest has begun in some areas, with 1 percent of the crop being harvested, behind 2 percent last year and 13 percent for the 5-year average. Cotton condition is rated as 7 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 40 percent fair, 34 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Ninety-two percent of sunflowers have bracts yellow, behind both 2008 and the 5-year averages of 100 percent. Seventy-eight percent of the sunflowers have reached maturity, behind 88 percent for last year and 94 percent for the 5-year average. Farmers had only harvested 20 percent of the crop by week's end, behind last year at 37 percent and 55 percent for the 5-year average. Sunflower condition is rated as 2 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 10 percent excellent. Eighty-three percent of the fourth cutting of alfalfa has been completed, behind the previous year and the 5-year average at 100 and 99 percent, respectively. Range and pasture condition was rated as 2 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 8 percent excellent. Feed grain supplies were rated as 1 percent very short, 3 percent short, 89 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus. Hay and forage supplies were rated as 1 percent very short, 3 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 15 percent surplus. Stock water supplies were rated as 1 percent very short, 3 percent short, 87 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus.
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