Dry weather has helped farmers plant field crops. Most crops look good as far as far progress and condition, with the notable exception of most fruit crops, according to the NASS Michigan field office.

“In terms of field crops, everything looks pretty good at this point,” said Jim Collom, an agricultural statistician at NASS. “Last week there wasn’t much rain, so guys had a chance to get a lot planted; a lot of corn and soybeans were planted last week. Things are looking good for sugar beets; things are looking really good for wheat.”

Normally at this time of year only about 1 percent of wheat is headed. This year already, 43 percent of the wheat crop is headed. Collom said that’s about two weeks ahead of normal.

Eighty-seven percent of corn was planted, versus a five-year average of 72 percent, and 62 percent of soybeans were planted, versus a five-year average of 38 percent, according to the latest NASS report.

Things seem to be progressing well for the various vegetable crops, too. The asparagus harvest was just getting under way.

For fruit crops, all or nearly all were damaged or destroyed by the early warmth followed by frosts. Collom said apples have been damaged, too, but it’s too early to tell how badly. The first USDA report on the apple crop won’t be out until August.

“Blueberries are one of the only fruit crops that wasn’t badly damaged,” Collom said.

Iowa farmers took advantage of another warm and dry week (May 14-20), which enabled them to rapidly plant more crops, focusing now on soybeans as corn planting nears completion, according to the May 21 Iowa Crop & Weather report. 

“Farmers with hayfields have taken advantage of the weather to make hay in the past week,” added Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey. “Much of the state is fairly dry and many farmers are now looking for a rain shower after the warm temperatures and windy conditions last week.”

The report said corn planting now stands at 98 percent complete, with a few farmers having to replant some corn fields damaged by late April showers. Currently, 81 percent of corn has emerged.

The report also said soybean planting is 85 percent complete, with 26 percent emerging. Twenty percent of the oats headed, the report added.

In her May 22 report for the coming week, Erin Hodgson, Iowa State University extension entomologist, said southwestern Iowa is now experiencing 50 percent corn rootworm egg hatch and “the rest of the state will hit that target in 7-14 days, depending on future temperatures.”

As a result, she’s strongly encouraging farmers to scout for rootworm damage later this summer – especially in continuous corn fields where populations can be higher.

“I expect larval establishment to be high this year,” she said, “so estimating root damage is important for gauging population densities.”

Near-record temperatures were around much of the state over the Memorial Day weekend, initiating warnings to farmers to keep an eye on their livestock.

“The combination of hot, muggy weather conditions prompts some real concern for humans, as well as livestock and pets,” said University of Kentucky agricultural meteorologist Tom Priddy. “The livestock heat stress index is a combination of air temperature and humidity.

“That one-two punch makes it hazardous for people and animals. Dewpoint temperatures above 65 degrees lead officials to declare conditions dangerous for livestock.”

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, over a quarter of the state is experiencing anywhere from abnormally dry to severe drought conditions.

Corn producers have taken advantage of the dry weather by planting nearly all of the crop. As of May 20, 98 percent of the crop had been planted, well ahead of the five-year average of 76 percent.

The NASS Kentucky field office listed the crop as being 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 53 percent good and 9 percent excellent.

Soybeans are also being planted ahead of schedule. The latest available NASS report noted that 59 percent of the crop had been planted.

Planting of the burley tobacco crop was reported to be at 37 percent. The dark tobacco crop stood at 39 percent planted as of the May 20 NASS report.

Winter wheat was listed as 3 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 43 percent good and 5 percent excellent, while the hay crop condition  was reported as 2 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 45 percent good and 11 percent excellent, according to NASS.