Will there be sufficient precipitation in the nation’s ag production regions by the time planting of fall-harvested crops begins later this month and through April? USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey says if rains this past week in areas suffering significant soil dryness continue for the next few weeks, concerns should be somewhat alleviated. At the least, that should provide a much better outlook for ag crops and commodities covered in drought, compared to the first U.S. Drought Monitor for March, for the period ending March 3.
“We have seen corn and soybean production area typically planted to those crops creeping above 50%. Currently, 51% of the typical U.S. corn production area is in drought. Fifty-three percent of the U.S. soybean area is in drought. Those numbers are up sharply from five weeks ago, 29% and 34%, respectively.”
Southern crops also approach a planting season. Cotton, rice and peanuts are in significant drought coverage at the present time.
“U.S. cotton — currently 89% of that production area is experiencing drought, and that generally stretches all the way from some of the southwestern production areas through the Southern Great Plains, the Delta and into the Southeast. Peanut production area currently 94% in drought. And also, another Southern crop, rice, 80% of the production area currently in drought.”
Meanwhile, there is an eye on drought conditions in key winter wheat-growing states in the Great Plains.
“Fifty-six percent of the production area in drought. We are watching some of those deteriorating conditions across some of the Great Plains production areas, including Oklahoma, Texas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and extending into Montana — some of the key states where we do see significant drought coverage. At this time, Kansas has dried out a little bit. Eastern Colorado has dried out a bit, but at this point not a significant amount of drought in those key production areas.”
And as for hay and cattle production areas and drought coverage:
“Fifty-four percent of the U.S. hay production area in drought in early March, up from 39% five weeks ago, and 57% of the U.S. cattle inventory currently experiencing drought. That is up sharply from 34% just five weeks ago.”