Missouri Corn Crop Suffers Most, With 40% Rated as Poor/Very Poor Due to Drought

Missouri is currently facing the most significant challenges in its corn crop due to prolonged drought conditions. As of September, 40% of the state’s corn is rated as poor or very poor, marking it as having the worst corn conditions in the country. The USDA’s ratings for the week ending September 3 reveal that Missouri corn is 15% very poor, 25% poor, with only 2% rated as excellent—a slight drop from the previous week.

In spite of these difficulties, Missouri’s matured corn, at 32%, is outpacing the five-year average by 6%. This time last year, 29% of the state’s corn had reached maturity. Moreover, as of September 3, 87% of the corn had dented, progressing from 76% the previous week and surpassing the five-year average of 82%.The National Ag Statistics Service reported that the week ending September 3 experienced temperatures 2.7°F below the usual for Missouri, with statewide precipitation averaging a mere 0.02 inches—0.82 inches beneath the norm. Some counties even reported no rain.Drought maps from late August show that over 5% of Missouri is grappling with extreme drought conditions, and over 12% is experiencing severe drought. Moderate drought affects nearly 35%, and around 19% is considered abnormally dry. However, the silver lining is that just over 28% of the state is now free from drought stress, which is a marked improvement from a mere 1.5 months prior when less than 1% was drought-free. Currently, out of Missouri’s 114 counties, 65 have USDA disaster designations.Historically, July 2023 was noted as the 42nd wettest July since records began in 1895. However, 2023 is on track to be the 33rd driest year in Missouri’s history.