ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date August 11, 2008 Issue GA-CW3208 Agricultural Summary August 11, 2008 HIGH TEMPERATURES High temperatures have stressed some crops, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures were in the mid 90's. Average lows were in the high 60's most of week. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 21% very short, 46% short, 32% adequate, and 1% surplus. Rain will be needed to prevent crop deterioration. The lack of rain caused pastures and hayfields to decline. Cattlemen continued to reduce their herds due to a lack of grazing and hay. The high heat and humidity caused some heat stress on livestock. There were no significant disease damage reported. Other activities included irrigating crops as needed, baling hay in between showers and feeding livestock. County Extension Agents reported an average of 6.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 08/10/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Dent : 91 80 85 88 Corn Mature : 50 30 52 61 Corn Harvested for Grain : 6 1 4 9 Soybeans Blooming : 77 65 66 79 Soybeans Setting Pods : 44 28 37 53 Sorghum Harvested : 9 0 0 5 Cotton Setting Bolls : 90 78 83 92 Cotton Bolls Opening : 1 0 1 2 Apples Harvested : 6 4 5 9 Peaches Harvested : 94 89 96 95 Peanuts Pegging : 97 92 93 98 Tobacco Harvested : 46 36 47 61 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 08/10/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 4 17 33 37 9 Soybeans : 5 15 44 33 3 Sorghum : 4 11 43 41 1 Cotton : 2 8 38 43 9 Range and Pasture : 12 23 40 24 1 Apples : 0 0 13 24 63 Hay : 11 25 44 19 1 Peanuts : 2 7 33 47 11 Pecans : 2 12 39 42 5 Tobacco : 1 7 25 48 19 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 08/10/08 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 21 16 12 Short : 46 40 27 Adequate : 32 42 47 Surplus : 1 2 14 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 08/10/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 11 64 24 1 District 2 (NC) : 7 68 25 0 District 3 (NE) : 45 37 18 0 District 4 (WC) : 27 37 36 0 District 5 (C) : 39 43 18 0 District 6 (EC) : 28 55 17 0 District 7 (SW) : 10 38 47 5 District 8 (SC) : 17 42 41 0 District 9 (SE) : 16 39 45 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 08/10/08, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 3 10 52 35 0 District 2 (NC) : 0 13 63 23 1 District 3 (NE) : 29 34 33 4 0 District 4 (WC) : 11 24 38 27 0 District 5 (C) : 33 30 28 9 0 District 6 (EC) : 22 36 36 6 0 District 7 (SW) : 4 21 31 39 5 District 8 (SC) : 3 14 49 32 2 District 9 (SE) : 6 18 35 41 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 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 Summary for Week Ending 08/10/08, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:---------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day : Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weather data are not available for week ending 8/10/08. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Weather data are supplied by the 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 at www.georgiaweather.net. DISTRICT COMMENTS August 10, 2008 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Thunderstorms and showers on Thursday are very helpful. The only problem is they are dropping rains heavily and most running-off, not soaking in like what is needed. But we are thankful for what we get. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL No comments available. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Missed a good chance for rain on 8/7/08. Storms seemed to split and go around the county, again. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Slightly lower daytime highs towards the end of the week is the only good news. Last 3 weeks provided barely an inch of rain over this county. Soil moisture is backing up fast, as are forages; hay yield is below average, quality is average at best. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL Very hot and dry! Over 100 degrees a couple of days. Pasture and hayfield conditions declining rapidly. Some producers may have to start feeding hay soon if we don't get some substantial rain and pasture conditions don't improve. We are burning up. Our corn crop has burned up. We really need sustained rainfall. Temperatures in high 90's have really hurt us. Scattered rain this week. Temperatures hit 103. Young soybeans dying due to drought and heat. Need rain! DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Rains have been really scattered therefore the crop conditions are varied. Getting spotty rains, need a general rain badly......time's running out and we know early August is crucial for peanuts and cotton. Grass/hay at less than half of normal in most places. Raising livestock in east Georgia is going to be a thing of the past. Soybeans are ready to begin setting pods and we are watching closely for foliage feeders. Started harvesting a little corn but it's still in the 20% moisture range. No particular disease or insect problem except stinkbugs which will get worse when we harvest corn. Dry, dry, dry. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST At present, crops in general are good, however, plants are at growth stage which requires maximum water usage. Timely rains are needed to prevent crop deterioration. 50% of county received 0.7 to 1.0" inch rain this week. Hot temperatures and no rain for last 7-9 days resulting in stressed crops during critical fruiting stage. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Getting afternoon showers and in picking tobacco and spraying crops. Dryland field are still suffering but in general crops look fair to average. Irrigation of corn and other crops. Baling hay between showers and feeding livestock. This pass week has been very hot with no rain pasture and hay fields have been hit the hard. Others crops are during well, we do need rain this week for the others crop to continue to well!!! Some dryland cotton fields are cutting out because of the dry weather. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Extreme heat having rapid drying effect.