ks-crop-weather United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Kansas Field Office CROP WEATHER Kansas Agricultural Statistics Cooperating with the Kansas Department of Agriculture PO Box 3534 Topeka KS 66601-3534 (785)233-2230 www.nass.usda.gov/ks nass-ks@nass.usda.gov Released: September 14, 2009 Volume 09 No. 37 Agricultural Summary: Last week temperatures were normal in the Western counties and below normal in the Eastern counties. Rains were heaviest across the central area of the state and into the southeast, where there was a pocket of heavy rainfall in and around Montgomery County. Producers across the State averaged only 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture is rated as 1 percent very short, 8 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated as 3 percent very short, 13 percent short, 75 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Fieldwork activities for the week included cutting alfalfa, harvesting silage and corn, and planting winter wheat. Field Crop Report: Wet field conditions last week halted field work in many areas of the State where corn producers were hoping to begin harvesting. Only three percent of the corn crop has been harvested, behind both last year at 5 percent and the 5-year average of 18 percent. Eighty-six percent of the corn is in the dent stage, behind 2008 at 93 percent and 95 percent for the 5-year average. Thirty-one percent is mature, behind 39 percent for the previous year and 61 percent for the 5-year average. Corn condition is rated as 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 20 percent excellent. Sixty-six percent of sorghum is coloring, ahead of 61 percent for last year but behind 73 percent for the 5-year average. Four percent is mature, behind both the previous year and the 5-year average which are 9 percent and 17 percent, respectively. Sorghum condition is rated as 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 19 percent excellent. Twenty-two percent of the soybeans are dropping leaves, ahead of 19 percent for the previous year but behind 32 percent for the 5-year average. Soybean condition is rated as 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 17 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 27 percent excellent. Four percent of the winter wheat has been planted, behind 5 percent for last year and the 5-year average of 7 percent. Thirteen percent of the cotton have bolls opening, behind 16 percent for both last year and the 5-year average. Cotton condition is rated as 3 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. Ninety-five percent of the sunflowers are in bloom, behind 99 percent for both the previous year and the 5-year average. Fifty-four percent are in the ray flower dry stage, compared to 65 percent for last year and 66 percent for the 5-year average. Twenty-three percent have bracts yellow, behind both 2008 at 35 percent the 5-year average of 38 percent. Sunflower condition is rated as 2 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. Thirty-eight percent of the fourth cutting of alfalfa has been completed, behind the previous year and the 5-year average at 54 and 61 percent respectively. Feed Supplies Report: Range and pasture condition is rated as 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Feed grain supplies were rated as 1 percent very short, 6 percent short, 90 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Hay and forage supplies were rated as 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 11 percent surplus. Stock water supplies were rated as 2 percent very short, 5 percent short, 85 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. This is a cooperative effort with Kansas State Research & Extension Service, KSU Weather Data Library, and Kansas Agriculture Statistics Crop Conditions for the Week Ending 09/13/09 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Corn 2 5 25 48 20 Sorghum 1 4 20 56 19 Soybeans 1 3 17 52 27 Cotton 3 6 26 58 7 Sunflowers 2 7 21 61 9 Range & Pasture 2 6 28 52 12 Crop Progress by Agricultural Statistics District as of 09/13/09 LAST LAST 5-YR NW WC SW NC C SC NE EC SE STATE WEEK YEAR AVG. Corn Dent 80 80 73 96 92 99 95 92 99 86 80 93 95 Corn Mature 16 10 13 84 47 40 38 24 53 31 22 39 61 Corn Harvested 4 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 14 3 2 5 18 Sorghum Coloring 61 55 66 74 63 63 86 79 71 66 49 61 73 Sorghum Mature 0 2 5 9 2 3 6 7 10 4 1 9 17 Soybeans Dropping Leaves 24 26 5 42 24 15 35 8 4 22 8 19 32 Days Suitable and Moisture Conditions for the Week Ending 09/13/09 LAST LAST NW WC SW NC C SC NE EC SE STATE WEEK YEAR Days Suitable For Fieldwork 5.1 2.7 5.4 2.7 1.5 2.4 4.9 3.6 2.2 3.3 5.2 2.9 Topsoil Moisture (Percent) Very Short 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 Short 17 7 34 8 1 4 4 2 0 8 13 6 Adequate 67 79 56 78 75 77 81 84 66 74 81 64 Surplus 16 14 0 14 24 19 15 14 34 17 5 27 Subsoil Moisture (Percent) Very Short 0 0 17 0 4 1 0 0 0 3 3 5 Short 17 17 43 9 14 22 3 2 0 13 18 11 Adequate 69 77 40 89 69 76 83 94 76 75 76 68 Surplus 14 6 0 2 13 1 14 4 24 9 3 16 The regular weekly weather data is unavailable for the week ending 09/13/09.