There are two big concerns that farmers and ag-econ types are talking about now that the plant/don't-plant-and-take-the-prevented-planting-money decisions are being finalized and they are both weather/climate related.
The first is what happens over the course of growing season—too hot/dry/wet/cold—it's always something.
The second is the risk of an early frost before harvest.
For the first concern we track soil moisture and growing degree days and all the the factors that go into how much food you get at the end of the season.
Fortunately the USDA points us in the right direction with the Weekly Crop and Weather Bulletin.
Here's the June 18 edition, issued a half-hour ago:
Contents
Crop Moisture Maps .........................................................
June 11 Drought Monitor & Pan Evaporation Map ............
Extreme Maximum & Minimum Temperature Maps .........
Temperature Departure Map .................................................
Growing Degree Day Maps ....................................................
Planting Progress Charts for U.S. Corn and Soybeans ...............
National Weather Data for Selected Cities .................................
National Agricultural Summary ................................................
Crop Progress and Condition Tables ........................................
June 13 ENSO Update ..........................................................
International Weather and Crop Summary .................................
May International Temperature/Precipitation Maps ..................
Bulletin Information & Soil Temperature Map .......................
50 page PDF
And for the second we'll probably figure something out by August.
