US heatwave damages some crops, but Midwest spared

by Agrimoney.com

The heatwave which has brought record heat to the south western US has damaged pasture condition and crops, but the milder warming in the Midwest has helped crops in the most important corn and soybean states.

Crops in many southern and western areas of the US wilted in heat which has reached record levels in some areas, besides causing wildfires which 19 firefighters in Arizona died attempting to extinguish.

US Department of Agriculture scouts reported a "high" danger of fire in California too, which saw "extremely hot conditions by the end of the week", with temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit "common across the state".

Just 2% of California's pasture was rated in "fair" condition as of Sunday, with the rest seen as "poor" or "very poor".

While field crops, largely irrigated, fared better, the proportion of cotton rated in "good" or "excellent" health tumbled 10 points, albeit still remaining at 80%.

'Dry conditions and above-normal temperatures'

In Colorado, high temperatures took their toll too, with the proportion of corn rated good or excellent falling eight points to 44%, with a one-point drop to 10% in the equivalent rating for winter wheat.

The proportion of sorghum making the top two grades fell 11 points to 46%, driving a decline in the rating of the national crop by five points to 49% good or excellent.

Heat affected crops further north too, in Montana, where spring wheat deteriorated by seven points to 63% good or excellent,

In South Dakota, which saw "dry conditions and above-normal temperatures across most of the state", the proportion of the crop making the top two grades dropped five points to 56%.

Thanks to the declines, the overall US spring wheat crop was rated 68% good or excellent, a drop of two points week on week, and down on the 71% a year ago.

Midwest thrives

However, crops in the key Midwest growing states further east generally thrived on conditions which provided a mixture of benign warmth to broadly damp soils – if too wet in some areas for growers to undertake fieldwork.

"Farmers were unable to continue working in the field due to the rain," USDA crop scouts in Illinois said.

"Corn and soybean growth, however, has improved" and crops "appear to be looking much better".

In Iowa, the top soybean and corn producing state, "warmer and mostly drier conditions" enabled farmers to "near completion of corn and soybean sowings", with 99% of corn seeded.

Both the national corn and soybean crops were rated 67% in good or excellent health, rises of two points apiece on the week.

'Issues with rot'

One alarm bell rung by scouts was that the humid turn in Midwest weather may encourage pests and weeds.

"The big concern this past week was all of the weeds that have rapidly grown and been spotted in soybean fields," Illinois scouts said.

In Ohio, USDA scouts said that "most wheat is looking mature and will be ready for the harvest to begin once the weather permits.

"If there are significant delays in harvesting due to rain in the coming weeks, issues with rot and sprouting may arise."

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