The heavy rains that caused flooding across portions of Missouri this spring have also led to improved soil conditions for crops grown in the Show-Me State.
The exceptionally-wet spring did cause delays in getting corn, cotton and soybeans in the ground. But Bob Garino, Missouri Statistician with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) state office in Columbia, says conditions are much better than a year ago when 2012's drought and heat wave began to take hold.
"We were starting to notice some deterioration in the crops (last year)," Garino said. "They weren't at a point where we said they were really in bad condition, but they were starting to get that way…pasture conditions were starting to really deteriorate (a year ago) at this time."
Garino says pastures for livestock have "greened up pretty well" this year.
"We have rain coming up again this weekend, so I think as far as moisture goes, I think we'll be in good shape," Garino said. "Now of course, anything can change within a couple of months, but at least we're going in in much better shape than we were last year at this time."
Garino says corn is doing better this year, despite being planted one to two weeks later than last year. He adds that cotton and rice have gotten too much moisture, but are doing well so far. Last year's drought became so severe that the USDA declared the entire state of Missouri a federal disaster area.
Detailed charts and graphs on how Missouri's crops are doing so far this year can be found here.
Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport
