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CARRINGTON, N.D. — The prospects look good for all of the crops in the area, according to Greg Endres, cropping systems specialist with the Carrington Research Extension Center.
Endres said most of the corn is in the milk stage and needs about 30 to 40 days for the corn to mature.
“If we have a killing frost around Oct. 1, most of the corn should be in good shape,” he said. “If we have a September frost, then we are going to have a lot of corn with lower yields because of low test weights and high moisture.”
In the crop progress and condition report for North Dakota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service rated 1% of the corn crop as very poor, 5% as poor, 28% as fair, 50% as good and 16% as excellent.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service rated 5% of the soybean crop as poor, 38% as fair, 45% as good and 12% as excellent. The report states the soybean setting pods were 95% equal to last year and the five-year average.
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Endres said most of the soybeans in the area look “really good.” He said some timely precipitation in August helped the crop.
“August rains can really make the soybean crop,” he said. “… I have pretty high expectations on our soybean yields.”
Farmers are working on harvesting small grains, Endres said. He said it is too early to predict what the yields and quality of the small-grain crops are but hopes for above-average yields.
“I think quality will be good,” he said.
The sunflowers also look good and are blooming, he said.
“Right now … the potential looks very good,” he said.
He said farmers still need to worry about diseases such as Sclerotinia, or white mold.
The National Agricultural Statistics Service rated 3% of the sunflower crop as poor, 23% as fair, 65% as good and 9% as excellent.
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He said some winter cereals, also called winter grains, and field peas have been harvested. He said he’s hoping yields for the small-grain crops are better as more farmers get into more fields.
Endres also said there is plenty of hay available in the area, which is a nice change from last year to feed cattle through the winter.
The report also states 1% of the spring wheat crop as poor, 23% as fair, 60% as good and 16% as excellent. Durum wheat was rated 1% as poor, 18% as fair, 62% as good and 19% as excellent.
Dry edible beans were rated 1% as very poor, 4% poor, 38% fair, 48% good and 9% excellent. Potatoes were rated 33% as fair, 49% as good and 18% as excellent.
