Corn: By September 15, ninety-three percent of the corn acreage was at or beyond the dough stage, 6 percentage points behind last year and 5 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Eighty percent or more of the acreage in all estimating States, except Wisconsin, was at or beyond the dough stage by week’s end. By September 15, sixty-eight percent of this year’s acreage was dented, 24 percentage points behind last year and 19 percentage points behind the 5-year average. All of the estimating States, except Tennessee and Texas, were behind their 5-year average pace in denting progress. Eighteen percent of the 2019 corn acreage had reached maturity as of September 15, thirty-three percentage points behind last year and 21 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Harvest was underway in 9 of the 18 estimating States. Four percent of the 2019 acreage was harvested by week’s end, 4 percentage points behind last year and 3 percentage points behind the 5-year average harvest pace. Overall, 55 percent of the Nation’s corn acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week but 13 percentage points below the same time last year.
Soybean: Nationally, 95 percent of the Nation’s soybean acreage was setting pods, 5 percentage points behind both last year and the 5-year average. Fifteen percent of the Nation’s soybean acreage was at or beyond the leaf dropping stage by September 15, thirty-five percentage points behind last year and 23 percentage points behind 5-year average. Based on conditions as of September 15, fifty-four percent of the Nation’s soybean acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, down 1 percentage point from the previous week and 13 percentage points below the same time last year.
Winter Wheat: Nationwide, producers had sown 8 percent of the intended 2020 winter wheat acreage by September 15, four percentage points behind both last year and the 5-year average. Winter wheat planting progress was most advanced in Washington at 30 percent planted, 14 percentage points behind last year and 12 percentage points behind the 5-year average.
Cotton: By September 15, fifty-four percent of the Nation’s cotton acreage had open bolls, 6 percentage points ahead of last year and 7 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. By September 15, nine percent of the Nation’s cotton acreage was harvested, 4 percentage points behind last year but 1 percentage point ahead of the 5-year average. Based on conditions as of September 15, forty-one percent of the 2019 cotton acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, 2 percentage points below the previous week but 2 percentage points above the same time last year.
Sorghum: Seventy-nine percent of Nation’s sorghum acreage was at or beyond the coloring stage by September 15, eight percentage points behind last year and 5 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Sorghum coloring advanced 15 percentage points or more in 4 of 6 of the estimating States during the week. By September 15, thirty-four percent of the Nation’s sorghum acreage was considered mature, 6 percentage points behind last year and 10 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Eighty-seven percent of Texas’ sorghum acreage had reached maturity by September 15, seven percentage points ahead of last year and 9 percentage points ahead of the 5-year average. Twenty-four percent of the 2019 sorghum acreage was harvested by September 15, two percentage points behind last year and 3 percentage points behind the 5-year average. As of September 15, sixty-five percent of the Nation’s sorghum acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, 3 percentage points below the previous week but 12 percentage points above the same time last year.
Rice: Nationally, 46 percent of the rice acreage was harvested by September 15, two percentage points behind both last year and the 5-year average. As of September 15, sixty-nine percent of the Nation’s rice acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week but 5 percentage points below the same time last year.
Small Grains: By September 15, ninety-two percent of the Nation’s oat acreage had been harvested, 4 percentage points behind last year and 5 percentage points behind the 5-year average. Oats harvest progress was complete or nearing completion in all estimating States, except North Dakota and Wisconsin. Eighty-seven percent of the Nation’s barley acreage was harvested by September 15, eight percentage points behind last year and 9 percentage points behind the 5-year average. By September 15, seventy-six percent of the spring wheat acreage was harvested, 20 percentage points behind last year and 17 percentage points behind the 5-year average. By week’s end, harvest progress advanced by 13 percentage points in Washington.
Other Crops: Five percent of the Nation’s peanut acreage was harvested as of September 15, two percentage points ahead of last year but equal to the 5-year average. On September 15, sixty-one percent of the Nation’s peanut acreage was rated in good to excellent condition, 3 percentage points below the previous week and 11 percentage points below the same time last year. By September 15, sugarbeet producers harvested 8 percent of the Nation’s crop, 3 percentage points behind last year and 1 percentage point behind the 5-year average. Producers in North Dakota led the Nation in harvest progress with 11 percent of the 2019 acreage harvested by September 15, two percentage points ahead of both last year and the 5-year average.
https://www.usda.gov/oce/weather/pubs/Weekly/Wwcb/wwcb.pdf
