News

Week of rain brings dry soils relief, Nebraska’s wheat harvest begins

Several rounds of severe weather and rain have brought relief to dry conditions across parts of Nebraska.

York County farmer Rick Gruber says despite the severe weather, soil moisture has remained excellent. “As long as we can stay with some timely rains, we’ve irrigated some but we’ve got stuff shut off now and really we still have a decent crop.”

According to the latest crop progress report from the USDA, topsoil moisture was 65 percent adequate and subsoil moisture was 61 percent adequate.

Corn condition is rated 82 percent-good-to-excellent down one percent from last week.

Seventy-three percent of soybeans are rated in good-to-excellent condition.

Winter wheat harvest has started with one percent of the crop in.

Oats are 55 percent good-to-excellent.

Ninety-two percent of dry edible beans have emerged.

Nebraska’s pasture and range conditions are rated 58 percent fair and only 28 percent good.