ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 8, 2009 Issue GA-CW1009 Agricultural Summary March 9, 2009 IMPROVED WHEAT CONDITIONS Georgia experienced cool temperatures early in the week, but temperatures warmed up by weekend, according to the USDA, NASS, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures ranged from the mid 40's to mid 60's for most of the week, except weekend highs reached the 70's. Average lows ranged from the mid 20's to mid 40's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 1% very short, 13% short, 77% adequate, and 9% surplus. Wheat looked good, especially where farmers have been able to apply fertilizer. In some areas, corn planting was off to a slow start due to wet conditions and cold temperatures. Some parts of the state have prescribed burning of pastures and forest land. Growers were preparing to transplant vegetables. Other activities included getting equipment ready for planting corn, clipping tobacco plants in greenhouses, and the routine care of poultry and livestock. Producers continue to be undecided about crop plantings because of the economic conditions.County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 03/08/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Planted : 3 0 2 2 Winter Wheat Jointing : 38 22 29 16 Winter Wheat Boot : 2 1 2 1 Peaches Blooming : 21 16 9 6 Watermelons Planted : 0 0 0 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 03/08/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Winter Wheat : 1 5 37 52 5 Range and Pasture : 8 18 48 25 1 Onions : 0 1 15 83 1 Peaches : 0 8 63 29 0 Vegetables : 0 8 44 48 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/08/09 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 1 2 0 Short : 13 15 0 Adequate : 77 66 0 Surplus : 9 17 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/08/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 8 17 67 8 District 2 (NC) : 0 8 86 6 District 3 (NE) : 0 22 57 21 District 4 (WC) : 1 12 87 0 District 5 (C) : 0 4 83 13 District 6 (EC) : 0 27 62 11 District 7 (SW) : 4 18 66 12 District 8 (SC) : 0 12 81 7 District 9 (SE) : 0 7 92 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. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 03/08/09, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 8 15 43 34 0 District 2 (NC) : 0 3 69 27 1 District 3 (NE) : 1 32 53 14 0 District 4 (WC) : 2 24 55 19 0 District 5 (C) : 17 12 27 41 3 District 6 (EC) : 18 8 57 17 0 District 7 (SW) : 6 18 51 22 3 District 8 (SC) : 5 24 51 20 0 District 9 (SE) : 1 27 53 19 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 03/08/09, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:-------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day:Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Albany : 67 37 52 0.00 0 1.79 2.85 2.96 56 Alpharetta : 62 31 46 0.00 0 4.52 6.35 9.49 45 Atlanta : 61 39 50 0.00 0 3.34 3.23 5.54 NA Covington : 60 32 46 0.50 1 5.83 7.40 8.47 46 Dallas : 61 35 48 0.00 0 4.23 6.07 8.09 46 Danielsville : 59 41 50 1.19 1 5.36 7.10 7.89 48 Dunwoody : 61 34 47 0.00 0 4.25 6.10 8.13 46 Gainesville : 60 32 46 0.34 1 4.85 6.28 10.86 48 Griffin : 60 36 48 0.24 1 6.11 8.68 9.92 50 Johns Creek : 62 30 46 0.04 1 4.86 6.84 8.51 47 Jonesboro : 62 34 48 0.00 0 5.30 7.31 8.72 47 Lake Seminole : 65 42 54 0.00 0 2.06 2.91 3.54 55 Nahunta : 67 35 51 0.00 0 3.18 5.52 5.51 55 Ossabaw : 63 41 52 0.02 1 2.13 4.11 4.34 56 Roopville : 63 34 48 0.00 0 4.52 6.39 7.89 48 Sasser : 65 35 50 0.00 0 1.52 2.47 2.80 53 Tifton : 64 39 51 0.00 0 2.23 3.83 3.87 53 Williamson : 61 35 48 0.07 1 4.57 6.57 7.92 48 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 March 8, 2009 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Pasture weed control and routine care of livestock and poultry are main activities. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Eight inches of snow on Sunday. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Corn planting will start this week. Sunday saw a blanket of snow across the county with some areas receiving up to 5-6 inches. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We received 4.01 inches of rainfall including snow over the past 7 days which is the most significant rainfall that we've had in a while. Small grains looking good. Still need rain. Warm temperatures should boost small grain growth. Farmers/Producers still trying to decide what to plant this year. Tough decisions! DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Rain has improved wheat and winter grazing conditions. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Parts of the county received as much as 3 inches of rain several days ago. CORN planting off to slow start due to colder temperatures first few days in March, will quickly increase this week. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Burning pastures. Hoping late freezes don't hurt rabbiteye blueberries. Burning timberland, too. Harrowing and readying soil for planting corn, etc. Word out is tobacco contracts are being cut by 1/4 to 1/3 or so. Plus most devastating news is the closing of the Pilgrims Pride Poultry Processing Plant in Douglas. Our county and farmers will hurt terribly. Peanut contracts are almost non existing and many growers are looking at cotton and reducing peanut acres and taking advantage of government(FSA) payments or insurance if needed do to a drought or other weather related catastrophe. This week has been very cold for the first week of March 2009. The plastic has been laid for all vegetable markets! The transplanting of vegetable should be in full swing next week! We need the weather to warm up here in south Georgia for lot of field work next!! DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available.