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May 23, 2002
Numerous heavy precipitation events during April and May drenched the Corn Belt states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio adversely impacting planting of summer crops. Cumulative precipitation for the Eastern U.S. during May 1-20, 2002 shows the wetness extending into the northeast from Missouri. Seasonal precipitation for the Corn Belt for the period March 1 through May 20, 2002 shows a broad band of sustained wetness across Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. The Bootheel region of Missouri was particularly hard hit.
Landsat-7 satellite imagery during April 2002 shows that rivers such as the Missouri, Mississippi, Illinois Rivers were already swollen and inundating some of the low-lying areas along their path. Current NOAA/AVHRR satellite imagery shows that many of the rivers in the Corn Belt are already swollen and may be causing localized flooding problems especially in the Bootheel region of Missouri. Recent information from the USGS also shows that many of the rivers in Missouri , Illinois, Indiana , and Arkansas states are already several feet above their flood stage.
Current field reports from USDA/NASS indicate that during 2002 farmers in both Iowa and Missouri took advantage of the earlier dryness and planted most of the corn crop . However, there are some major planting delays in the other important states of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The optimal planting planting window has already been crossed and some farmers are considering switching to soybeans. Major planting delays are also evident in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, with significant delays in Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. The soybean crop is progressing well in the states of Minnesota, Iowa, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and North Carolina. The winter wheat crop in the Eastern U.S. is currently in the heading stage and is generally progressing well, with some minor delays in Indiana and Ohio. Over 90 percent of the rice crop has already been planted and is generally progressing well. There could be some minor problems associated with localized flooding along the river banks in the Bootheel region of Missouri and in Arkansas. Planting of the cotton crop in the Eastern U.S. is ahead of normal, but is somewhat behind the record pace set by farmers in 2001. Planting of the peanut crop is progressing on par with the normal is doing fine. Overall prospects for the summer crops in the Corn Belt can improve with the return to drier conditions.
For more information, contact Rao Achutuni with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division on (202) 690-0140.
