The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s weekly crop progress report shows that the U.S. national soil surface moisture shortage and very short ratio was 45% in the week ended July 17, 2022, compared with 48% last week and 39% in the same period last year.

In the 48 states of the country, the ratio of excess soil surface moisture is 4%, 51% is sufficient, 27% is short, and 18% is very short. The ratio of surface moisture surplus last week was 5%, sufficient 53%, short 26%, and very short 16%.

For comparison, in the same period last year, the soil surface moisture was 11% surplus, 50% sufficient, 23% short, and 16% very short.

Most of the topsoil moisture in the Midwest Corn Belt has deteriorated. Among them, the ratio of topsoil shortage to very short in Iowa was 30%, compared with 22% last week; Illinois 28%, 31% last week; Indiana 51%, 49% last week.

In the main winter wheat producing areas, the ratio of topsoil moisture shortage to very short in Kansas was 62%, compared with 52% last week; Oklahoma 74%, 65% last week; Texas 94%, 95% last week.