ga-crop-weather State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 15, 2010 Issue GA-CW1110 Agricultural Summary March 15, 2010 WET CONDITIONS For the week ending March 14, 2010, rain midweek increased wet field conditions, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Georgia Field Office. Daily average high temperatures ranged from the upper 50's to lower 70's. Lows averaged from the mid 30's to lower 50's. Soil moisture conditions were rated at 0% very short, 1% short, 38% adequate, and 61% surplus. Most area's received a quarter inch or more of precipitation midweek, statewide the average rainfall for the week was nearly two inches. Rainfall caused minor flooding and erosion concerns in parts of the state. Field work in preparation for planting spring crops were delayed by the wet conditions. Winter grazing continues to be limited and producers were still feeding supplements and hay to livestock. Other activities included applying fertilizer and pre-emergent herbicide when conditions allowed. County Extension Agents reported an average of 3.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Crop Progress for Week Ending 03/14/10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Stage : This Week : Prev Week : Prev Year : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn Planted : 5 1 11 9 Corn Emerged : 0 0 0 1 Winter Wheat Jointing : 24 16 51 33 Winter Wheat Boot : 2 1 5 3 Peaches Blooming : 3 3 50 25 Watermelons Planted : 1 0 4 3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop Condition for Week Ending 03/14/10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop :Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 9 17 45 29 0 Winter Wheat : 2 31 44 21 2 Range and Pasture : 8 31 40 19 2 Onions : 0 6 48 46 0 Peaches : 0 0 5 95 0 Vegetables : 2 24 52 22 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/14/10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : This Week :Previous Week : 5 Year Avg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Very Short : 0 0 0 Short : 1 1 0 Adequate : 38 65 0 Surplus : 61 34 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Soil Moisture Map is 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. Soil Moisture (%) at 12" Soil Depth Topsoil Moisture for Week Ending 03/14/10, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Short : Short : Adequate : Surplus -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 0 0 45 55 District 2 (NC) : 0 0 33 67 District 3 (NE) : 0 0 58 42 District 4 (WC) : 0 0 40 60 District 5 (C) : 0 0 14 86 District 6 (EC) : 0 0 23 77 District 7 (SW) : 0 0 44 56 District 8 (SC) : 0 0 52 48 District 9 (SE) : 0 7 51 42 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Georgia/Publications/County_Esti mates/index.asp. Pasture Condition for Week Ending 03/14/10, by District -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- District : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : District 1 (NW) : 19 21 31 26 3 District 2 (NC) : 1 11 60 27 1 District 3 (NE) : 0 28 30 31 11 District 4 (WC) : 10 28 46 16 0 District 5 (C) : 15 44 24 16 0 District 6 (EC) : 0 28 47 25 0 District 7 (SW) : 9 46 33 12 0 District 8 (SC) : 9 36 43 11 1 District 9 (SE) : 1 8 81 10 0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Georgia/Publications/County_Esti mates/index.asp. Weather Summary for Week Ending 03/14/10, by Station Location ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Temperature : Precipitation : Location :-----------------:-------------------------------------:Soil : Max : Min : Avg :Weekly : Days :30 Day :60 Day:Season :Temp ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alapaha : 68 45 57 1.60 3 3.10 10.50 10.55 55 Albany : 70 47 58 0.84 2 2.67 11.44 11.50 58 Alma : 69 47 58 2.19 3 3.10 10.60 9.52 56 Arabi : 68 45 57 1.02 3 2.39 12.02 12.11 54 Atlanta : 60 47 54 2.25 5 3.73 11.61 9.82 NA Attapulgus : 70 48 59 2.00 3 4.11 12.26 12.45 58 Baxley : 67 46 56 2.39 2 3.41 11.23 11.05 57 Brunswick : 68 49 59 0.90 3 1.69 8.89 8.96 59 Byromville : 65 45 55 2.95 4 5.14 16.37 16.04 55 Byron : 64 44 54 2.22 3 4.01 11.98 12.02 53 Cairo : 69 49 59 1.55 4 3.32 10.86 11.04 56 Cordele : 67 45 56 2.11 4 3.75 14.28 14.41 53 Covington : 62 43 52 2.74 5 4.36 11.75 11.77 50 Dallas : 60 43 52 2.97 5 5.53 12.57 11.69 49 Dawson : 69 44 56 1.05 3 3.23 15.82 16.01 55 Dearing : 65 45 55 2.19 4 3.75 10.76 10.77 53 Dixie : 69 48 59 2.00 3 4.09 13.50 13.70 58 Douglas : 68 46 57 1.51 3 2.73 10.19 10.02 55 Dublin : 67 46 56 2.71 4 4.49 13.29 13.37 54 Dunwoody : 59 42 51 3.36 5 5.24 12.82 12.82 47 Eatonton : 64 42 53 3.47 4 5.05 13.36 13.42 51 Elberton : 64 42 53 1.75 4 3.08 12.64 12.67 52 Ellijay : 57 40 48 2.08 5 3.78 11.51 11.63 47 Gainesville : 58 43 50 2.70 4 4.86 13.87 13.89 51 Georgetown : 69 45 57 1.61 4 4.37 14.64 14.75 55 Griffin : 61 43 52 3.67 4 5.78 13.04 12.95 50 Homerville : 70 46 58 2.02 2 3.08 11.11 11.27 59 Johns Creek : 60 42 51 3.01 4 5.24 13.32 13.32 49 Jonesboro : 62 42 52 2.39 4 3.66 11.74 13.26 50 Midville : 66 46 56 1.97 4 3.52 11.82 11.74 55 Nahunta : 71 46 59 1.40 2 2.55 10.82 10.52 57 Newton : 70 47 58 1.46 4 3.29 13.51 13.66 58 Odum : 69 46 57 2.29 3 3.37 12.17 12.29 58 Ossabaw : 67 49 58 1.46 2 4.01 12.65 10.94 53 Pine Mountain : 63 41 52 3.42 5 5.54 13.29 13.35 51 Roopville : 63 42 52 3.46 4 5.14 12.62 12.66 51 Savannah : 70 47 58 2.05 3 3.10 11.59 11.65 57 Shellman : 69 45 57 1.12 3 3.10 13.66 13.78 57 Skidaway : 66 48 57 2.14 2 3.02 11.42 11.49 55 Sparta : 64 43 53 3.00 4 4.39 12.45 12.39 52 Statesboro : 67 46 57 1.53 4 3.04 11.66 11.77 57 Tennille : 65 45 55 2.55 5 4.33 12.33 12.34 53 Tiger : 56 39 47 1.53 5 3.78 16.89 15.77 46 Unadilla : 65 46 55 2.24 4 3.74 14.60 12.67 54 Valdosta : 70 50 60 1.95 2 3.76 13.87 14.07 57 Vienna : 67 46 56 2.19 4 3.96 14.17 14.32 53 Vidalia : 67 48 57 2.14 4 3.41 12.03 12.11 55 Williamson : 62 43 52 4.04 5 6.02 13.59 13.58 50 Woodbine : 71 47 59 1.18 3 2.01 9.83 9.89 60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *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 14, 2010 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST Received 0.75 inches of rain. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Thunderstorms this week increased wet field conditions - major activity was routine care of livestock and poultry DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Soggy pastures desperately need to dry out. Too wet to plow. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL March 10 rainfall for the county was between 3-4 inches causing minor flooding of bottom land and a continued saturation of the ground. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We have received 1.41 inches of rainfall so far. Planting is at a standstill. Field work began in preparation for planting corn. Wheat fields fertilized and beginning to show improvement. Cotton harvest almost finished. Unfortunately or fortunately over 2 inches of rain fell across the county on Friday. Field work is once again on hold. Warmer weather is making everyone feel better. Tremendous rains once again 3.5 inches in 24 hours. Rains causing flooding, erosion concerns. Also causing damage to pastures and livestock easily tear up the ground like a disc harrow. Excessive rainfall has slowed fertilization on ryegrass, hay and silage. Pre-emergent herbicide applications to hay lands and pastures have also been delayed. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Received 1 1/2 more inches of rain. Wheat looking some better. Lime going out on many fields. Soil approaching corn planting temperature. Still feeding supplement and hay to cows - it has been a long, long winter. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Wet for the past 4+ months. More rainfall at the end of this past week. Field conditions are still wet. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Getting some rainfall. Farmers ordering cotton and peanut seeds. Harrowing and preparing land. Not much cover crops planted due to wet fall and winter. Feeding livestock hay and alternative feeds. Still need the Poultry industry to rebound. Applying lime on fields where possible. Ready for a good year. Cotton acres will be up. Soybeans and some corn about the same as peanuts. Cotton is King for 2010. This week was very wet, with little field activity. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Another 2.5 to 3.0 inches of rain on Thursday has stopped field operations again.