Below-normal temperatures were the norm across the Tri-State Region for the week ending Nov. 11, impacting harvest activities in many areas.

Wet fall weather was blamed for crops not drying down in some areas. Cooler temperatures may have impacted livestock progress as well in some parts of the region, with Colorado producers reporting lighter than normal weening weights on some calf herds.

Harvest slows amid wet conditions

LAKEWOOD, Colo. – Fall harvest continued last week, but snowfall and high moisture content of crops slowed progress in some counties. Received moisture was mostly confined to eastern counties. Reporters in northeastern counties indicated harvest progress continued where conditions allowed, but some corn and sorghum weren’t drying down as quickly as producers hoped. 

Livestock were reportedly in good condition. Feed supplies and pasture conditions going into next year remained a concern for producers. 

A few producers were still seeding winter wheat behind harvest of other crops. Conditions of winter wheat were reported at 63 percent good to excellent, 31 percent fair and only 6 percent poor to very poor.

Snow fell over eastern portions of the state late in the week, further delaying harvest. Moisture content of sorghum was noted as high and grain elevators were turning away deliveries of loads with high moisture contents. 

State-wide, corn harvest was 77 percent completed last week, ahead of the 69 percent reported a year ago but behind the five-year average 80 percent for the period. Sorghum harvest lagged at just 55 percent complete, well behind the 75 percent mark hit at this time last year and the 76 percent five-year average. The state’s sorghum crop was rated 53 percent good to excellent, 22 percent fair, 15 percent poor and 10 percent very poor.

It was a case of feast-or-famine in southwestern counties, where minimal moisture was received and exceptional drought conditions persisted. San Luis Valley counties received minimal moisture and a reporter noted pastures were still being grazed due to no snow cover. 

In southeastern counties, a reporter noted received moisture and high humidity slowed harvest. Producers continued to sell calves, with many sold right off the cow. Statewide, pasture and range condition was rated 28 percent good to excellent, compared with 63 percent rated good to excellent last year. Stored feed supplies were rated 11 percent very short, 20 percent short, 61 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. Sheep death loss was 67 percent average and 33 percent light. Cattle death loss was 72 percent average and 28 percent light.

Corn production in Colorado is forecast at 171.45 million bushels, down 8 percent from last year’s

185.90 million bushels, according to the Nov. 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. The 1.35 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are unchanged from the October forecast, but 50,000 acres greater than the 1.30 million acres harvested a year ago. Corn yield is estimated at 127.0 bushels per acre, unchanged from the October forecast, but 16 bushels less than last year’s final yield. 

As of Nov. 4, Colorado’s corn harvested for grain was 65 percent complete, compared with 47 percent last year and the 5-year average of 66 percent.

Sorghum production in 2018 is forecast at 12.71 million bushels, down 38 percent from the 20.52 million bushels harvested last year. Growers expect to harvest 310,000 acres this year, unchanged from the October forecast, but down 50,000 acres from the 360,000 acres harvested last year. Average yield is forecast at 41 bushels per acre, down 4 bushels from the October forecast and down 16 bushels from last year. 

As of Nov. 4, Colorado’s sorghum harvested for grain was estimated at 48 percent complete, compared with 57 percent last year and the 5-year average of 62 percent. The sorghum crop was rated 15 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 15 percent excellent.

Sugarbeet production in Colorado is forecast at 833,000 tons, down 20 percent from the 1.04 million tons produced in 2017. Growers expect to harvest 25,700 acres this year, compared with 29,000 acres a year ago. 

Yields are expected to average 32.4 tons per acre, down 2.3 tons per acre from the October forecast and down from last year’s yield of 35.7 tons per acre. Harvest of sugarbeets was estimated at 84 percent complete, compared with 77 percent last year and the 5-year average of 78 percent.

Fall potato growers in Colorado produced an estimated 21.62 million hundredweight of potatoes this year, up 2 percent from last year’s crop. Fall potatoes produced in the San Luis Valley totaled 19.94 million hundredweight compared with 19.31 million hundredweight produced last year. Fall potatoes grown in all other areas in Colorado totaled 1.68 million hundredweight compared with 1.91 million

hundredweight last year. Average yield, at 391 hundredweight per acre, increased 9 hundredweight per acre from the

Crop forecast strong for 2018

LINCOLN, Neb. – The state’s 2018 corn crop is forecast at 1.80 billion bushels, up 7 percent from last year’s production, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, based on Nov. 1 conditions. 

Area to be harvested for grain, at 9.25 million acres, is down 1 percent from a year ago. Yield is forecast at 195 bushels per acre, up 14 bushels from last year. Both yield and production are record highs if realized.

Sorghum production is forecast at 15.8 million bushels, up 32 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 155,000 acres, is 15 percent above 2017. Yield is a record, forecast at 102 bushels per acre, up 13 bushels from last year.

Soybean production is forecast at 345 million bushels, up 6 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 5.65 million acres, is slightly below 2017. Yield is forecast at 61 bushels per acre, up 3.5 bushels from last year. Both yield and production are record highs if realized.

Sugarbeet production is forecast at 1.41 million tons, down 2 percent from last year. Area for harvest, at 44,200 acres, is down 2 percent from 2017. Yield is a record, forecast at 31.8 tons per acre, unchanged from last year.

For the week ending Nov. 11, producers were able to get into the fields 4.7 days, according to the weekly crop report. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 4 short, 86 adequate, and 9 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 6 short, 87 adequate, and 6 surplus.

Corn harvested was 77 percent, behind 83 percent last year and 86 percent for the five-year average. Winter wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. Winter wheat emerged was 96 percent, near 95 percent last year and 98 percent average.

Sorghum harvested was 85 percent, near last year’s 82 percent and the 89 percent five-year average.

Pasture and range conditions were rated 2 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 63 percent good, and 12 percent excellent.

More Wyo. sugarbeets expected

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Sugarbeet production in Wyoming is forecast at 958,000 tons, up 8 percent from the 891,000 tons produced in 2017, according to the November Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. 

Growers expect to harvest 30,900 acres this year, compared with 31,600 acres a year ago. Yields are expected to average 31.0 tons per acre, down 1.3 tons per acre from the October 1 forecast, but up from last year’s yield of 28.2 tons per acre. As of Nov. 4, Wyoming’s sugarbeet harvest was estimated at 97 percent complete, compared with 97 percent last year and the 5-year average of 88 percent.

Nationally, the sugarbeet crop for 2018 is forecast at 33.5 million tons, 5 percent less than 2017, on a total of 1.1 million acres harvested. Yield is expected to hit 30.5 tons per acre, 1.2 tons per acre less than last year.

Wyoming experienced below normal temperatures for the week. The high temperature of 54 degrees was recorded at Riverton and a low of 8 degrees below zero was recorded at Sundance. 

Cooler temperatures were accompanied with normal moisture reported at 17 of the 34 stations. Four stations reported no moisture. Casper reported the most moisture with 0.63 inches. 

A north central Wyoming reporter said it has been a mixed fall, with the northern area doing well going into winter while to the south it was dry, followed by hail which damaged the winter pasture. Cold and snow was reported in western Wyoming. Cow work was nearing completion in south-central areas of the state, aided by good weather. Late fall conditions continue in southeastern portions of the state.

Stock water supplies across Wyoming were rated 1 percent very short, 23 percent short, and 76 percent adequate. Topsoil moisture was rated at 60 percent adequate and 40 percent short to very short. Subsoil moisture levels were 53 percent adequate and 47 percent short to very short.

Corn harvest was reported at 66 percent complete, behind the 70 percent finished at the same time last year but ahead of the five-year average of 54 percent.

The state’s winter wheat crop was ranked 93 percent good to excellent compared to 66 percent last year and 65 percent on the five-year average. Pasture and range across the state was 38 percent good to excellent, 46 percent fair and 16 percent poor to very poor.

The state’s livestock producers were reporting their charges in 88 percent good to excellent condition for the week, with 12 percent in fair
condition.