Jun 15, 2021
U.S. Crop Conditions Decline with Warmer and Dryer Conditions
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
Corn - The condition of the 2021 U.S corn crop declined 4% last week to 68% rated good to excellent. Eight States indicated that the conditions had improved last week while 8 states indicated that the conditions had declined with 2 states unchanged. Most if the improvements were found in the southern locations while most of the declines were found in the central states. The five highest rated corn states are: Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The five lowest rated corn states are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Missouri, and Minnesota.
Limited rainfall late last week and over the weekend offered a temporary reprieve for those areas lucky enough to receive rain. The cooler and wetter forecast offers some hope that the crop will not deteriorate as quickly as had been previously feared. Having said that, it is just the middle of June and the most critical times for the corn crop is still ahead.
Soybeans - The condition of the 2021 U.S. soybean crop declined 5% last week to 62% rated good to excellent. Five states indicated that the soybean condition had improved last week while 12 states indicated that the soybean condition had declined with 1 state unchanged. Most of the improvements were found in the southern locations while most of the declines were found in the central states. The five highest rated soybean states are: Nebraska, Tennessee, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. The five lowest rated soybean states are: North Dakota, South Dakota, Mississippi, Michigan, and Kansas.
The soybean crop is starting off the growing season with a below average rating due to the dry conditions especially in the western and northern Corn Belt. We cannot make too much of these early rating other than the fact that the crop could use additional moisture.
Soil Moisture - The nation's topsoil got dryer last week with 7 states indicating wetter conditions and 10 states indicating dryer conditions with 1 state unchanged. Most of the improvements were found in the southern and eastern areas while most of the dryer conditions were found in the central states. The five states with the highest soil moisture are: Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The five states with the driest soils are : South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan, North Dakota, and Minnesota.
There was some limited shower activity late last week across the upper Midwest, but coverage was poor. We are starting off the growing season with below average topsoil moisture which means the dry areas cannot afford to miss any rainfall opportunity. The Drought Monitor last Thursday indicated that 35% of the U.S. corn acreage and 31% of the soybean acreage is in areas of drought.