fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending October 16, 2005 Released 4:00 P.M. October 17, 2005 Report Code FL-CW4205 DRY WEATHER ALLOWS HARVESTING TO ADVANCE Weather Summary Report Mostly dry, warm conditions allowed field activities to progress on schedule throughout the week of October 10 through 16. Temperatures in the major stations averaged two to five degrees above normal. Daytime highs were mostly in the 80s with some localities recording at least one daytime high in the 90s. Pleasant evening temperatures were mainly in the 50s and 60s with some areas receiving at least one nighttime low in the 70s. Most localities recorded no measurable rainfall for the week in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Many central Peninsula areas received only traces, if any rainfall. However, slightly over three inches fell in Daytona Beach. In the southern Peninsula, Immokalee received no rainfall and other areas received from traces to over an inch in Miami. Field Crops Report Dry weather helped peanut and cotton harvesting to advance. Peanut digging was 68 percent done by October 16 versus 78 percent completed by this date last year and the five-year average of 80 percent. Peanut condition was rated 5 percent poor, 40 percent fair, 45 percent good and 10 percent excellent. In Madison County, sporadic showers delayed some peanut harvesting with the quality lowered due to the excess time the crop laid on top of the ground after digging. In Santa Rosa County, producers started defoliating the oldest cotton fields with harvesting running late due to late plantings and the effects of the earlier tropical storms. Sugarcane harvesting started in the Lake Okeechobee area. Hay baling was active in Taylor County with hay quality in good condition despite insect pressure. Across the Panhandle and northern Peninsula, topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies were rated mostly short to adequate. Holmes and Washington counties reported spots of very short soil moisture while Union County reported some localities with surplus soil moisture. Most central and southern Peninsula counties reported short to mostly adequate soil moisture supplies with Hernando and Brevard counties reporting some areas with surplus soil moisture. Percentage of Peanuts Harvested to date: This year Last year 5-year average 68 78 80 Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture This Last Last This Last Last Rating week week year week week Year Percent Very short 5 1 1 4 0 1 Short 35 15 8 22 16 8 Adequate 48 56 68 62 58 67 Surplus 12 28 23 12 26 24 Vegetable Report Dry weather, coupled with plenty of sunshine allowed planting to progress on schedule in most areas. Growers around Palm Beach expect to begin harvesting winter vegetables around early November. Tomato picking continued in the Quincy area. Dade County growers continued to cut okra. Saturated fields from continuous rains in parts of Dade County delayed fall planting by two weeks. Vegetable growers laid plastic and some transplanting began in Dade County. Producers marketed light amounts of watermelons, cucumbers, eggplant and squash. Livestock Report Livestock and Pastures: Pasture in the Panhandle ranges from poor to excellent with most in excellent condition. The planting of small grains for winter grazing began. However, pasture is getting short and lack of moisture delayed the planting of cool season forages. Cattle condition is good to excellent. Pasture condition in the northern areas is poor to good with most in fair condition due to drought and insect damage. Cattle condition is mostly good. Some armyworm pressure persists on new growth in well fertilized hay fields. Forage crops are threatened by late in the season spittlebugs and armyworms/loopers. In the central areas, pasture condition is poor to excellent with most in good condition. Along the Atlantic coast, a lot of pasture is too wet to gather cattle and wean calves. Cattle condition is mostly good. In the southwest areas, pasture condition is very poor to good and cattle condition is mostly good. Statewide, most of the cattle are in good condition. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 10 5 0 0 Fair 30 40 25 15 Good 50 50 60 75 Excellent 10 5 15 10 Fruit Report Citrus: On average, temperatures were warmer in citrus producing counties, cooling down towards the end of the week. Highs were in the upper 80s to low 90s. Lows went down to at least the mid 60s in all areas with the lowest in the extreme northern citrus areas at 54 degrees. Rainfall varied from less than an inch in Sebring to no rain in the center of the State and in the north. New crop fruit is generally quite uniform. Maturity levels on late oranges are running close to normal, while earlies and mids continue to lag far behind compared to previous seasons. Grapefruit maturity levels are slightly behind last year. Sizes are smaller than normal on all varieties. Early oranges and grapefruit are showing good color break. Grove owners mowed middles, pulled vines and cleaned groves, as harvesting got underway. Ten fresh fruit packing houses and three small juice plants are open. Varieties being packed included Fallglo tangerines, Ambersweet and Navel oranges and grapefruit. Estimated boxes harvested - week ended Crop Oct 2 Oct 9 Oct 16 In thousands of 1-3/5 bushel boxes Navel oranges 4 19 30 Early and Mid oranges 3 12 13 Grapefruit 7 29 20 Early tangerines 14 53 68 Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, log onto http://www.usda.gov/nass/sso-rpts.htm Then click on “Subscribe” (upper right part of screen), then select “Florida Crop-Weather”, enter your name and your e-mail address, then click on “Subscribe”. The report will be sent automatically to your e-mail address each week.