Scant rain forced irrigation to continue in Nebraska, weekly USDA report says

Scattered and scant rainfall has stressed Nebraska crops and forced irrigation to continue in many areas.

A weekly U.S. Department of Agriculture report says that at the end of last week, topsoil moisture was rated at only 51 percent adequate and subsoil moisture rated at 57 percent adequate.

The USDA says 93 percent of the state's winter wheat crop has been harvested, just a little short of the five-year average of 95 percent by this date.

The report says 72 percent of the state's corn crop was rated good or excellent, and 70 percent of the soybean crop also was rated in good or excellent condition.