What’s Happening With Nebraska Crops?

Here’s a closer look at the status of Nebraska’s most important crops as June comes to a close.

USDA published the latest Crop Progress report on Monday, June 30. Here’s a closer look at recent weather and the status of Nebraska’s most important crops as June wraps up.

Weather

On June 24, 100% of the state was suffering from some degree of moisture stress, said the U.S. Drought Monitor map.

Then, central and eastern Nebraska received significant rainfall the night of June 25 into June 26. Syngenta Agronomist Travis Gustafson said, “Grand Island received around 6.5 inches of rainfall with heavier amounts (up to 8 inches) in localized areas.” The heavy rains have caused flooding along the Platte Valley from Wood River to Columbus, he said. “Fortunately, no wind, hail, or tornadoes accompanied these storms,” Gustafson added.

Other parts of eastern Nebraska only received 2 to 4 inches of precipitation, he said. Gustafson is optimistic this system will help reduce Nebraska’s drought rating and build up subsoil moisture as the crop heads into the critical pollination time frame.

In Monday’s Crop Progress report, USDA rated Nebraska topsoil moisture 5% very short, 27% short, 61% adequate, and 7% surplus. Subsoil moisture conditions in the state were rated 11% very short, 41% short, 44% adequate, and 4% surplus.

Corn

Acreage Estimates

According to the June 30 Acreage report, Nebraska farmers planted 10.3 million acres of corn in 2025. This is up about 250,000 acres from the previous year, said USDA.

Pest and Disease Pressure

A map published by the Crop Protection Network confirms positive cases of tar spot in 16 Nebraska counties.

“Many growers are on alert and ready to treat the disease when the time comes,” Gustafson said.

Silking Progress

The latest Crop Progress report said 2% of Nebraska’s corn crop has reached the silk growth stage. That is 1 percentage point ahead of the five-year average. Last year at this time 3% of the state’s corn had reached the silk growth stage.

Gustafson reported most corn is in the V10-V12 growth stages with tasseling a couple weeks away.

Corn Condition

Gustafson said, “Corn is growing rapidly in Nebraska. We are getting plenty of heat and have had adequate moisture to promote good, stress-free growth.

USDA rated Nebraska corn 1% very poor, 2% poor, 20% fair, 58% good, and 19% excellent for the week that ended June 29.

That is better than the national average rating of 1% very poor, 4% poor, 22% fair, 58% good, and 15% excellent.

Soybeans

Acreage Estimates

The Acreage report published June 30 said Nebraska planted 5 million acres of soybeans this year. That is down 300,000 acres from 2024.

Emergence Progress

USDA reported 100% of Nebraska soybeans have emerged, slightly ahead of the 99% five-year average. Last year at this time 98% of the state’s soybean crop was out of the ground.

Blooming Progress

The latest Crop Progress report said 4% of Nebraska soybeans are blooming. That is well behind the five-year average of 22%. However, Gustafson said, “Soybeans are in the early flowering stages and are progressing normally across Nebraska. Really no major concerns at this point. They are looking like they should for late June.”

Last year at this time 20% of Nebraska’s soybean crop had reached the bloom growth stage.

Soybeans Setting Pods

Although 3% of the nation’s soybeans have reached the pod growth stage, pod setting has not been reported in Nebraska. This is normal, according to USDA statistics.

Pest and Disease Pressure

Dylan Mangel is an assistant professor and Extension plant pathologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As a guest on the Kick’N Dirt podcast this week, he described how recent weather has created the right conditions for white mold. High humidity and precipitation in recent weeks has been noted across much of the state.

“As I meet more and more growers that have a white mold problem, that is the one disease I think of here that growers really stress about a lot,” Mangel said. “We have other problems, but this is one of those that’s potentially going to take everything. You can have huge losses in large pockets of your field.”

In an Extension CropWatch article published at the end of June, Mangel offered four tips for Nebraska farmers as they monitor and manage their soybean fields.

Pay attention during flowering.

Soybean plants are most vulnerable to white mold infection during between R1 to R3.

Proactive protection measures for key for preventing infection and controlling the disease.

“Late management will not save infected plants,” stressed Mangel.

On the podcast Mangel added, he does see farmers that are really concerned about the disease going in with a second spray pass. “If you’re going to do that, you want to hit it earlier,” Mangel said. “You don’t want to wait until R3 for a first pass.” Two passes two to three weeks apart is typical, he said.

Wet, humid environments facilitate the spread of white mold.

If your farm has had white mold in the past, there’s a bigger risk for it striking again, Mangel explained.

Often outbreaks begin in the same hotspots where infection occurred in past seasons due to the persistence of sclerotia in the soil.

Soybean Condition

USDA rated Nebraska soybeans 1% very poor, 3% poor, 28% fair, 56% good, and 12% excellent for the week that ended June 29

This is slightly better than the national average rating of 2% very poor, 5% poor, 27% fair, 55% good, and 11% excellent over the same time period.

Sorghum

Acreage Estimates

USDA’s acreage report said Nebraska farmers planted 280,000 acres of sorghum in 2025. That is down 10,000 acres from last year.

Planting Progress

As of the week that ended June 29, 96% of Nebraska’s sorghum crop has been planted, USDA said. That is slightly behind the five-year average of 99%. Last year at this time, sorghum planting was complete.

Sorghum Headed

USDA noted 1% of sorghum has headed in Nebraska. This is slightly behind the five-year average of 3%. Last year at this time 4% of Nebraska sorghum had headed.

Sorghum Condition

USDA rated Nebraska sorghum 1% poor, 18% fair, 60% good, and 21% excellent. There was no sorghum rated very poor in the state.

That is significantly better than the national average rating of 2% very poor, 5% poor, 29% fair, 53% good, and 11% excellent.

Winter Wheat

Acreage Estimates

The June 30 Acreage report said Nebraska farmers are expected to harvest 820,000 acres of winter wheat this year. That is down 100,000 acres from 2024.

Harvest Progress

Just 4% of Nebraska’s winter wheat crop has been cut so far this year. That is 2 percentage points behind the five-year average. Last year at this time, 11% of the state’s crop had been harvested.

Winter Wheat Condition

USDA rated winter wheat 17% very poor, 22% poor, 30% fair, 30% good, and 1% excellent the week that ended June 29.

This is significantly worse than the national average rating of 6%very poor, 14% poor, 32% fair, 41% good, and 7% excellent.

Oats

Acreage Estimates

USDA’s June 30 Acreage report said Nebraska farmers planted 145,000 acres of oats this year. That is up 25,000 acres from 2024.

USDA estimated 30,000 acres of oats will be harvested this year. That is down from 36,000 in 2024.

Oats Headed

The Crop Progress report indicated 88% of Nebraska oats have headed. That is sightly behind the five-year average of 90%. Last year at this time 89% of Nebraska oats were headed.

Oat Condition

USDA rated oat condition in Nebraska 2% very poor, 3% poor, 47% fair, 46% good, and 2% excellent.

This is worse than the national average for the same time period. The latest Crop Progress report said the national oat crop rated 6% very poor, 9% poor, 24% fair, 54% good, and 7% excellent.

Pasture and Range

USDA rated pasture and range conditions in the state 7% very poor, 20% poor, 36% fair, 35% good, and 2% excellent.