ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date September 10, 2006 Issue GA-CW3506 Agricultural Summary September 10, 2006 COLD FRONT SPELLS RELIEF A late summer cold front brought more scattered rain and slightly cooler temperatures to Georgia this week, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Rainfall totals remained widely varied. Some stations reported no rainfall while others reported well over three inches. We began the week with highs near 90, but by week's end, highs only reached the low to mid 80's. Lows were in the mid 60's all week. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 7% very short, 32% short, 55% adequate, and 6% surplus. While soil moisture conditions continued to improve, most of the state's year-to-date rainfall totals are behind normal. The scattered showers were a welcome sight for most producers, but not all. They have been beneficial for late planted cotton and peanuts pegging. Rainfall has also improved pasture and hayfield conditions slightly. However, they have delayed grape, hay, and cotton harvests. Some hay producers were sprigging new hayfields and cutting hay between rains this week. High humidity conditions have caused problems with drying and baling hay. Between sporadic rain and armyworm pressure, the pasture and hay crops remain dismal. Peanuts have responded positively to rain, but it may be too late to affect crop yields. A taproot crop may be all growers can depend on. Cotton defoliation was underway and the crop was rated in mostly fair condition. Armyworms were reported across the entire state this week. They seemed to be a major problem for producers with pastures and hayfields. Velvet bean caterpillars were reported in peanuts. Land preparation for fall planting continued. Tobacco harvest is nearly complete. Other activities included planting of greenbeans, and harvesting of corn, dryland cotton, and grain sorghum. County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork. CROP PROGRESS Sep 10, Prev Prev 5 Year 2006 Week Year Avg Corn, Harvested 77 66 56 69 Soybeans, Setting Pods 95 92 95 97 Soybeans, Dropping Leaves 18 15 12 18 Sorghum, Harvested 44 43 24 26 Cotton, Bolls Open 66 54 33 51 Cotton, Harvested 2 0 0 3 Apples, Harvested 24 24 14 28 Peanuts, Dug 2 1 4 7 Peanuts, Combined 0 0 0 3 Rye, Planted 0 0 1 2 Tobacco, Harvested 94 92 98 97 CROP CONDITION September 10, 2006 Crop Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent --Percentages-- Soybeans 14 29 32 25 0 Sorghum 10 21 35 30 4 Cotton 15 28 33 22 2 Pasture 9 30 37 22 2 Apples 4 8 23 61 4 Hay 13 28 38 20 1 Peanuts 7 23 36 31 3 Pecans 17 36 33 14 0 PASTURE CONDITION - DISTRICT* LEVEL September 10, 2006 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent --Percentages-- Dist 1(NW) 33 39 21 7 0 Dist 2(NC) 0 23 40 32 5 Dist 3(NE) 10 32 50 8 0 Dist 4(WC) 4 37 31 25 3 Dist 5(C) 18 25 38 19 0 Dist 6(EC) 6 50 36 8 0 Dist 7(SW) 8 30 27 32 3 Dist 8(SC) 6 28 43 22 1 Dist 9(SE) 2 13 44 40 1 *A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Soil Moisture Table Sep 3, 2006 Prev Year 5 Year Avg --Percentages-- Very Short 7 6 8 Short 32 40 27 Adequate 55 50 50 Surplus 6 4 15 SOIL MOISTURE - DISTRICT* LEVEL September 10, 2006 Very Short Short Adequate Surplus --Percentages-- Dist 1(NW) 42 40 18 0 Dist 2(NC) 5 35 57 3 Dist 3(NE) 6 42 52 0 Dist 4(WC) 8 39 51 2 Dist 5(C) 1 34 64 1 Dist 6(EC) 6 36 54 4 Dist 7(SW) 8 23 48 21 Dist 8(SC) 4 33 57 6 Dist 9(SE) 3 15 74 8 *A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Weather Information Table GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2006 1/ 2006 Air Temperature Precipitation Totals Extreme Weekly Rain 30 60 Soil Location Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day Day Season Temp ALBANY 94 68 77 0.63 4 4.91 9.55 33.64 85 ALMA 92 69 77 1.44 4 7.33 8.67 33.72 81 ARLINGTON 94 65 75 3.36 4 6.64 14.15 34.34 80 ATTAPULGUS 92 67 75 3.08 4 5.06 11.62 31.31 84 WILLIAMSON 91 60 73 0.20 3 1.71 5.39 20.09 79 BOWEN 93 65 76 0.26 4 3.10 8.71 27.81 84 BRUNSWICK 89 71 79 0.60 2 8.02 9.16 27.22 82 BYROMVILLE 92 66 75 2.37 4 10.71 13.75 33.09 81 BYRON 92 66 75 0.23 2 3.73 9.01 24.00 80 CAIRO 92 68 76 1.44 4 3.94 7.68 25.03 83 CALHOUN 91 57 72 0.02 2 2.29 4.18 25.54 80 PINE MOUNTAIN 91 62 73 0.04 2 2.12 8.30 25.38 78 CAMILLA 93 66 76 0.81 2 1.53 12.27 33.99 85 CLARKS HILL 92 63 74 0.78 4 4.52 9.63 33.02 80 CORDELE 93 67 76 1.57 4 5.47 10.02 26.65 81 COVINGTON 92 62 74 0.16 3 3.74 7.26 20.18 79 DAHLONEGA 86 57 70 0.65 2 5.02 7.10 26.37 75 DALLAS 90 59 73 0.00 0 1.42 4.80 27.49 79 DAWSON 92 67 76 1.31 4 5.45 9.34 21.77 80 DEARING 92 65 75 0.08 3 4.40 9.33 27.74 81 DEMPSEY 91 60 73 0.38 3 2.18 5.15 20.79 78 DIXIE 92 67 75 0.60 3 3.65 9.54 28.99 83 DUBLIN 93 65 76 1.46 4 4.46 6.58 24.62 81 DUNWOODY 90 60 73 0.16 2 4.56 6.29 29.46 78 EATONTON 93 60 74 0.10 2 2.04 6.36 22.86 82 ELBERTON 90 63 74 0.47 2 3.40 8.38 25.10 77 ELLIJAY 85 54 68 0.25 2 3.35 5.28 31.01 75 ROME 90 60 73 0.26 1 2.54 4.85 26.18 79 FORT VALLEY 93 66 76 0.28 3 3.57 6.50 19.97 79 GAINESVILLE 86 63 73 0.91 2 4.00 5.76 24.22 78 GEORGETOWN 94 65 75 0.44 4 1.65 5.08 22.74 82 GRIFFIN 90 62 73 0.30 4 2.80 5.77 22.31 78 HOMERVILLE 95 66 76 1.52 5 2.95 6.97 23.66 81 JONESBORO 92 61 74 0.08 2 5.44 10.54 30.99 79 JACKSONVILLE 92 66 75 0.21 3 3.68 8.89 23.29 81 LAFAYETTE 90 56 71 0.06 2 2.02 4.92 26.46 77 MCRAE 93 66 75 0.78 3 3.72 6.58 26.69 82 MIDVILLE 92 66 76 0.37 2 2.35 3.56 20.69 81 NAHUNTA 91 67 76 0.10 4 3.52 6.06 23.64 83 NEWTON 93 67 76 1.00 4 4.84 10.90 35.67 82 PLAINS 93 66 75 1.11 4 8.13 16.30 35.31 80 SAVANNAH 93 69 78 1.53 3 4.57 7.95 28.77 83 SKIDAWAY 89 69 77 1.55 2 7.23 10.34 30.38 79 SNEADS 90 71 77 1.26 4 1.45 1.65 17.00 84 STATESBORO 92 67 76 2.04 2 5.19 10.01 25.29 83 TIFTON 91 66 76 0.55 2 2.68 6.30 26.97 80 TIGER 83 55 67 0.97 4 5.30 7.24 36.68 74 VALDOSTA 95 70 78 0.61 4 1.77 7.70 29.40 81 VIDALIA 91 67 76 0.77 4 3.04 6.95 21.22 81 ROOPVILLE 91 59 73 0.32 1 6.78 10.41 35.34 78 WATKINSVILLE 89 63 74 0.66 4 4.56 8.37 29.33 79 WOODBINE 95 69 77 2.21 3 7.10 8.66 25.13 84 1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN) and the office of the State Climatologist, University of Georgia. For detailed Georgia weather data visit the AEMN homepage, www.georgiaweather.net. NA - not available. District Highlights These comments are written by the Georgia County Extension Agents, and have been compiled and edited by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. DISTRICT COMMENTS - Week 36 September 10, 2006 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No Comments Available. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Armyworms are attacking many hay fields and pastures across our county. The few pastures and hay fields that made it through drought this summer are now being attacked by armyworms on numerous accounts. Farmers are racing to harvest a second cutting this season before the armyworms devour what is left. Heavy rain this week - rain is delaying the harvest of some grape varieties. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Lots of armyworm problems. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Some dryland cotton has been harvested. A few early planted peanuts have been dug. Armyworms are everywhere. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Scattered showers throughout the week in some locations of the county. Pasture and hayfield conditions improving slightly due to rain. Armyworm problems still present in some pastures and hayfields. Corn and grain sorghum harvest getting started. Land preparation for fall planting continues. Fall armyworms have hit hayfields and pastures hard. Sprays have been effective, but some fields are seeing second infestations. Despite the recent rains, we are still in the throngs of a major rainfall deficit. Armyworms causing lots of problems in pastures and hayfields in our area. High humidity conditions have caused problems with drying and baling hay, with moisture problems occurring in baled hay. Scattered light rainfall has really not helped significantly in improving drought conditions. Armyworms continue to plaque hay fields and pastures. Welcome rains. Armyworms are being sprayed for 4th week on hay and pasture land. Between sporadic rain fall and heavy armyworm pressure pasture and hay crops remain dismal. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL No Comments Available. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST .81" rainfall - Rainfall improved overall crop condition to good. Peanuts pegging, however a taproot crop may be all growers can depend on in 2006. Last plantings of greenbeans between showers. Armyworms reoccurring in coastal fields. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Recent rains bring welcome relief but brought too late. Cotton defoliation underway and crop is fair to poor. Peanut yield potential looks weak. Sprigging some new hayfields. Cutting hay between rains. Tobacco harvest wrapping up. Corn picking about half through. Armyworms continue to infest hay and pasture. Heavy rains are probably damaging cotton. Good rain more frequent this week. Still dry pockets in the county. Peanuts responding to rain, though time to reach full maturity is hopeful, but questionable. Rain hampering cotton harvest, but helping later planted cotton. Drought has impacted agriculture, home lawns and trees. Fall armyworms, velvet bean caterpillars are on the increase in peanuts. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Cotton harvest set to begin today. Peanut harvest clinics will be held in the county this week. Toombs Co. will host the peanut tour on Wednesday of this week. Find agricultural statistics for your county, State, and the Nation at www.usda.gov/nass/. Media Contact: Douglas G. Kleweno, Director USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office Phone: 706-546-2236 E-mail: nass-ga@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga