This table shows the topsoil moisture in the short to very short category. The darker the yellow, tan, or brown the shorter the topsoil moisture. In the eastern belt for the most part no real significant moisture challenges and in fact, excessive moisture in IL, IN, MI, and MO are drying out and that is good news in the eastern belt. In the central belt, MN remains dry. That’s been a concern for about the last 2 months in MN. IA has been a little bit of an on again, off again. They got dry in May and then got really good rains at the end of May. Then they got dry at the beginning of June but then got some rain in late June and now they’re starting to dry out again in IA going from 33% short-very short to 53% short-very short this week. Keep in mind, so far this week has been dry in IA and temperatures are warmer by 5-8 degrees versus a week ago. IA could become extremely short of topsoil moisture if rains don’t fall by the end of the week. The Plain states, NE, KS, CO, and OK are starting to see some dryness develop as well. It’s not a severe as the northern Plains but the central Plains will need to be monitored over the next week or so. This chart shows topsoil moisture and it’s a weighted average for the U.S. corn and bean production areas. Last week the moisture was 28% for the corn and bean belt. That has gone to 35% and could go to into the 40’s next week if we don’t get rain.