What is going on with Nebraska corn?

With the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reporting another great week for Nebraska corn, the state’s extension climatologist said the state’s corn crop has had a “Goldilocks start.”

Nebraska’s corn crop remains in great shape

For the week ending June 23, USDA rated 0% of Nebraska’s corn very poor, 3% poor, 15% fair, 53% good, and 29% excellent. In terms of good/excellent corn, a combined total of 82% put Nebraska near the top of the rankings for best corn in the country, second only to Pennsylvania (90% good/excellent corn). Nebraska had the most corn rated excellent by far — the next closest was Wisconsin with 16% excellent corn. 

Nebraska’s relatively high percentage of good/excellent corn has been holding steady this growing season. The state’s percentage of good/excellent corn for the state has not dipped below 80% since the week ending June 2 — the first week corn condition was included in the Crop Progress report. 

Compared to last year in June, corn conditions are much improved. For the weeks ending June 4 through June 25 in 2023, the average percentage of good/excellent corn for the state was 60%, according to USDA. 

Nebraska’s total (100%) expected corn crop is emerged as of June 23, according to Monday’s report. 

Extension climatologist weighs in

Eric Hunt, agricultural meteorology and climate resilience extension educator, credited the great conditions to the fact that a fair amount of the state has had a pretty good start to the year weather-wise, with timely rains and appropriately warm temperatures.

“We really haven’t had any sustained heat yet. We’ve had, generally speaking, adequate moisture,” Hunt said.

Hunt added that “there aren’t many places that are really short on moisture to the point where it’s actually hurt the crop to this point.” According to Hunt, conditions right now are “certainly the best shape we’ve been in [for] at least three years here in the state.”

Going forward into the growing season, Hunt estimated that if there’s any concern, it would be higher minimum temperatures and higher humidity.

“I think there’s a lot of the corn crop that, so far, has kind of had almost a Goldilocks start,” Hunt said.

Revisiting the eastern Nebraska farmer affected by tornadoes

Mark Backhuus, who farms 320 acres of corn and soybeans in Washington County, Nebraska, was affected by one of the EF-3 tornadoes that struck the eastern part of the state in late April. He spoke with Successful Farming last month about his experience, including replanting the majority of his crop.

Backhuus provided an update on how his crop is looking as June comes to a close. When asked about the condition of his corn compared to the state averages, he said, “I wouldn’t call mine good to excellent.” He credited the late replanting and a 5-inch rain right after replanting.

“With all the rain we’ve had since then … it’s getting better,” Backhuus said.

The corn in the surrounding area is looking pretty good, though, even just a few miles out from where Backhuus farms.

“The corn in my area that was planted before we got [the tornado and accompanying rain and the 5-inch rain] is excellent,” he said.

Backhuus had a small section of planted corn, around 30 acres, that the tornado missed and which did not have to be replanted. In describing the crop, he said, “It looks great.”

Backhuus added, “I look at that all the time and think … if I wouldn’t have had to replant corn, my corn would all look like this.”

In contrast to what is reflected by USDA’s ratings for the state as a whole, Backhuus said his corn is not exceeding that of previous years.

That’s primarily “because of the poor stands and mudded-in terrace channels … and it’s small,” he said. “It’ll be knee-high by the fourth of July … which is what the old standard used to be.”