In general, Crops in United States were better than average during the monitoring period. This is the key growing season of winter wheat and sowing season of summer crops. The agro-climatic environmental variables include above average rainfall (+14%) and temperature (1.2℃) and below average PAR ( -2%).

Almost all main winter wheat production states enjoyed good agro-climatic condition with above average rainfall and temperature: Kansas (+7% rain, +1.7℃), Oklahoma (+33%, +0.9℃), Texas (+42%+0.3℃), Washington(+24%+1.8℃), California( +16%, +1.4℃) and Montana (+116%, +3.1℃). The recent grip of drought appears to have receded. The spatial distribution of NDVI profiles indicate that 90.8% of crop areas had average NDVI or positive departure before Mid-March. Only 9.8% of the agricultural areas (north Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas) were showing slightly negative NDVI departure. As mentioned in the section on disasters, torrential rain were occurred in  Texas neighbouring areas. With the exception of Illinois (-21% RAIN), Missouri (-6% RAIN ) and Indiana (-5% RAIN),most of the Corn Belt recorded average or above average rainfall including Iowa (+6%), Ohio (+5%),Wisconsin (+13%), Minnesota (+49%), Nebraska (+37%) and North Dakota (+113%). Abundant rainfall was favourable for summer crops sowing and their early growth stages.

Although agronomic indicators show average CALF (0%), the US wheat planted area is still 5.6% below 2015. The biomass production potential was 19% above average and CropWatch forecasts US average winter wheat yield for 2016 to increase 1.6% above the previous year. Altogther, CropWatch puts US wheat production at 54.3 million tons, 4% down from 2015. If the favorable weather continues, final yield is expected to be higher than this forecast.

Figure 3.31. United Statescrop condition, January-April 2016