fl-crop-weather

Week ending August 20, 2000
                             Released 4:00 P.M.
                                                            August 21, 2000

WEATHER SUMMARY: Thunderstorms dropped significant amounts of rain over
some localities during the week of August 13 through 19. Rainfall ranged
from none at Daytona Beach to about two and a half inches at Miami.
Homestead recorded about one and a half inches; Immokalee, over two inches;
and the Palmetto-Ruskin area, traces to an inch. Temperatures at the major
stations averaged near normal for the week over the Peninsula with
Tallahassee and Pensacola temperatures averag ing three to four degrees
above normal. Significant showers over the western Panhandle and some
inland Peninsula areas on Sunday, August 20 helped ease dry soil
conditions.

FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to
adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Rainfall
has been scattered. Tobacco harvest is winding down. Tobacco marketing is
active. Crops are stressed by heat and drought in some areas. Cotton is in
fair to good condition. The sugarcane crop is in good condition. Soybeans
are mostly in good condition. Armyworms are showing up in some areas.
Haying is active weather permitting. Peanut condition is reported 54% fair,
39% good, and 7% excellent. Growers are starting to harvest peanuts.

     Moisture              Topsoil                      Subsoil
     Rating        Last week     This week     Last week      This week

                                         Percent
 Very short                 0              2             7             11
 Short                     35             34            53             35
 Adequate                  65             59            40             49
 Surplus                    0              5             0              5

LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Statewide, the condition of pasture and cattle is
mostly fair to good. In the Panhandle counties, the cattle and pasture
conditions are good to excellent. In the north, the condition of cattle and
calves is good. However, there is damage to pasture by armyworms in some
areas. In the west central area, cattle and pasture conditions improved and
armyworms are active. In the central counties, the condition of pasture and
range varies from poor to good, depending on amount of rain received in the
past couple weeks. In the south west, the pasture condition is good, and
the condition of cattle is fair to good.

                           Range                        Cattle
   Condition
                  Last week      This week     Last week      This week
                                         Percent
 Very poor                  0              0             0              0
 Poor                       5              5             5              5
 Fair                      70             45            65             45
 Good                      25             50            30             50
 Excellent                  0              0             0              0

CITRUS: There were showers and thunderstorms on the east and west coasts of
Florida's citrus belt this week, however most of the interior was dryer
than normal. Many growers on the ridge and the high and well drained soils
were irrigating during the week due to the unusually dry and very hot
weather. Lakes, ponds and streams are not refilling very rapidly this
summer due to the irregular rainfall patterns. In spite of this week's dry
spell, there continues to be a lot of new growth showing on both young and
old trees in virtually all well-cared-for groves. New crop fruit is in very
good condition. Some grapefruit are now softball size and there are a few
Navels as large as baseballs. Most oranges are about average for the last
of August. The Temples, tangerines and tangelos are variable with some
well- cared-for groves showing good sizes with very clean fruit.

    Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that have grown
tall and out of control. Many growers are applying their final
fertilizations as September approaches. Summer sprays are being applied in
all areas, particularly on those crops grown for fresh utilization. Hedging
and topping have been reported in most areas. Dead tree removal is very
active this summer. Burning of grove trash and debris continues.

VEGETABLES: Dry soils are increasing the need for irrigation as the
planting of fall crops gains momentum. Producers in the Immokalee region
started planting tomatoes and peppers. The planting of tomatoes,
watermelons and pickles is increasing in the Palmetto-Ruskin area with
growers starting to plant eggplant. Tomato and pepper planting is underway
in the East Coast area. Dade County producers are preparing land with
squash planting to start in September and potato seeding to begin in
October. Squash harvesting continues in the Palmetto-Ruskin region. Okra
harvesting remains active in Dade County with growers planning to plant new
fields in late August or early September.

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