Colorado Corn Acres in ‘good to excellent’ Rating Still Dropping

Barbara Crimond | Jul 30, 2017 | Comments 0

The steady decline in the condition of Colorado’s corn crop continues, as U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports this week showed that only a combined 57 percent of the state’s acres were listed in “excellent” or “good” condition. That’s a sharp decline from reports release earlier in the growing season. Last month, more than 80 percent of Colorado’s corn crop was listed as “good” or “excellent.”

USDA reports showed, as of Sunday, July 23, that only 7 percent of the state’s corn was in “excellent” condition and 50 percent was “good,” while 20 percent was “fair,” 14 percent was “poor,” and 9 percent was listed as “very poor.” Last month, zero percent of the state’s corn acres had been listed as “very poor.”

While some counties have received isolated moisture, many pockets of Colorado have seen hot and windy conditions, causing impacts on crops in some areas, according to reports. Along with sub-par conditions, the state’s corn is behind in terms of acres that have reached the silking stage. As of Sunday, 21 percent of the state’s acres had reached that stage — well below the five-year average of 38 percent.

Nationwide, 13 percent of the crop is in “excellent” condition, 49 percent is listed as “good,” 26 percent is “fair,” 8 percent is “poor,” and 4 percent is listed as “very poor.” Unlike Colorado, the U.S. as a whole is nearly on pace in terms of acres that have reached the silking stage, with 67 percent of the nation’s acres having reached that stage, compared to the five-year average of 69 percent.

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