More Corn Grilled on the Cob

Popcorn Progress – August 6, 2012

The amount of U.S. corn considered to be in very poor and poor conditions increased to 50 percent in the week ending August 5, 2012, a rise of two percent since previous week.

Corn Condition

The amount of corn considered to be in very poor to poor condition increased to 50 percent, a rise of 2 percent since last week, while the crop rated as as ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ fell to 23 percent, due to ongoing drought and lingering heat, according to the USDA Crop Progress released August 6, 2012.

• The amount of corn regarded as being in good or excellent condition fell to 23 percent for the week ending August 5, 2012, a further decline of 1 percent since previous week.  It was 60 percent last year.
• The USDA statistics are based on 18 States which planted 92% of the 2011 corn acreage:  Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

Map of US Counties with Drought Level D0 and Above as of July 26, 2012. USDA

Soybean Condition

The amount of soybeans considered to be in very poor to poor condition was 39 percent, an increase of 2 percent since last week.

• The amount of soybean regarded as being in good or excellent condition remained at 29 percent. It was 61 percent this time last year.
• The statistics are based on 18 States that planted 95% of the 2011 soybean acreage: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina,
  North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

Pasture and Range Condition

Pasture and Range Condition for the lower 48 States which are weighted based on pasture acreage and/or livestock inventories, further deteriorated by 2 percent.

• Very poor to poor pasture and range areas rose to 59 percent, from 57 percent last week. It was 38 percent this time last year.
• Total acreage in ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ condition fell to 16 percent.  It was 39 percent last year.

[Source: Crop Progress, USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Report released August 6, 2012.]

“If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.” Tom Vilsack

U.S. Drought Map – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, shows a map of the drought.  Copyright The Iowa Soybean Association.

“I get on my knees everyday and I’m saying an extra prayer right now,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters after briefing with the Disaster President  Obama. “If I had a rain prayer or a rain dance I could do, I would do it.”

Previous reports

• Half U.S. Corn in Very Poor or Poor Condition Posted July 30, 2012
• Deadly Drought Worsens Corn, Soybean, Pasture and Range Conditions Posted July 24, 2012

Related Links

• U.S. Disaster Impact Leaps 24 Folds Posted  August 1, 2012
• U.S. Disaster Areas Expand as Drought Deepens Posted August 1, 2012
• Extreme and Exceptional Drought Spread Across Midwest, South Posted August 2, 2012
• Wildfires Destroy Oklahoma Town Posted August 5, 2012

• Watching Events Unfold, Frame by Frame, Exactly as Forecast Posted July 20, 2012
• Deadly Heat Continues to Devour U.S. Crops Posted July 19, 2012

• Drought Continues to Plague Two-Thirds of Continental U.S. Posted July 17, 2012
• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought and deluge