Warm, Dry Weather Parches Crops
Published: Friday, September 17, 2021
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Sept. 12.
Warm, dry weather last week pushed corn and soybeans toward harvest. Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels both fell last week in response to warm temperatures and little rainfall.
The average temperature for the week was 69.7 degrees F, .7 degrees above normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to .77 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was .26 inches, almost a half inch lower than normal.
There were 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork.
Fields dried considerably last week. Additional rainfall was needed to help later maturing soybeans reach their yield potential and for regrowth in hay and pastures.
A few corn fields were harvested last week as farmers were incentivized by early premiums at some elevators.
Corn silage harvest was in full swing. Armyworms caused problems in some hay fields. Livestock were reported in good condition with beef producers preparing for fall calving season.
Other activities for the week included preparing for harvest, preparing for wheat planting, mowing roadsides and scouting fields.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 13 percent; short, 34 percent; adequate, 51 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 13 percent; short, 31 percent; adequate, 54 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2020 and 5-year average) showed: corn dented, 88, 72, 80, 78; corn mature, 34, 15, 32, 32; corn harvested for silage, 59, 30, 59, N/A; soybeans dropping leaves, 39, 18, 36, 30; winter wheat planted, 4, 0, 1, 1; alfalfa hay, third cutting, 97, 92, 92, 90; alfalfa hay, fourth cutting, 58, 42, 39, 35; other hay, third cutting, 79, 65, 75, 72.
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