LA-WEATHER United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Louisiana Field Office Crop Weather Cooperating with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture Louisiana Field Office · 5825 Florida Blvd · Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 922-1362 · (225) 922-0744 FAX www.nass.usda.gov/la Released: March 9, 2009 Volume 09 No. 01 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.9 Soil moisture supplies: 17% very short, 32% short, 48% adequate and 3% surplus Field Crops Report Dry conditions persisted across much of the state for most of the week with spotty isolated showers. Field work progressed well despite the dry conditions. Some producers planted corn and rice, but more moisture is needed to finish planting.Sugarcane producers destroyed old stubble and applied herbicides to fields. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Producers continued spraying and harvesting strawberries. Vegetable producers prepared for planting of spring crops. Citrus producers completed fertilization. Crawfish trapping was underway, but producers reported that crawfish were still small. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Calving continued last week. Pastures and hay fields were dry. Cattlemen were fertilizing and spraying pastures. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2009 Week 2008 5 YR AVG Land Preparation Spring plowing 43 0 10 13 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 1 19 50 29 1 Wheat 0 8 34 58 0 Livestock 4 7 46 40 3 Vegetables 5 11 43 40 1 Pasture 6 19 43 30 2 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 03/02/09 TO 03/08/09 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 82 (25) 57 53 0.00 1.16 3.79 10.40 Minden 82 26 56 53 0.00 1.66 4.92 11.24 Mooringsport 80 27 57 MM 0.00 1.68 3.87 9.60 Extreme/Average 82 25 57 55 0.00 1.50 4.19 10.59 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 82 26 55 55 0.00 1.39 4.35 12.00 Homer/Hill Farm 81 25 55 52 0.00 1.28 4.37 11.32 ULM-Monroe 83 30 55 54 0.00 0.82 4.17 12.41 Colmubia Lock 83 29 55 MM 0.00 1.22 3.86 12.78 Extreme/Average 83 25 55 55 0.00 1.18 4.19 12.03 3. Northeast Lake Providence 81 29 54 53 0.00 0.79 4.95 12.57 LSU-St Joseph 82 31 56 55 0.00 4.03 6.85 12.80 LSU-Winnsboro 81 28 56 54 0.00 1.39 4.81 12.32 Tallulah 82 30 55 54 0.00 1.96 5.95 12.58 Extreme/Average 82 28 55 55 0.00 2.04 5.64 12.54 4. West-Central Leesville 83 27 59 56 0.02 1.39 2.64 11.83 LSU-Rosepine 82 30 58 56 0.00 1.88 3.27 11.55 Natchitoches (84) 32 57 55 0.00 0.92 3.86 11.45 Extreme/Average 84 27 58 56 0.01 1.40 3.26 11.57 5. Central Alexandria 81 28 56 57 0.05 1.86 3.70 12.41 Brusly 80 31 56 58 0.00 1.21 5.09 13.16 Bunkie 80 30 57 57 0.00 2.27 6.66 12.76 LSU-Alexandria 81 31 57 56 0.00 2.81 5.36 12.14 Extreme/Average 81 28 56 58 0.01 2.04 5.20 12.54 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 78 31 54 MM 0.00 2.24 6.63 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 80 32 56 58 0.05 0.98 5.61 12.21 LSU-Clinton MM MM MM 56 M.MM 2.27 5.70 13.37 LSU-Hammond 79 28 54 58 0.00 0.77 4.13 13.21 Slidell 76 30 54 58 0.00 1.36 3.95 12.98 Extreme/Average 80 28 55 58 0.01 1.34 5.08 13.10 7. Southwest De Ridder 82 32 58 57 0.00 2.62 5.59 12.26 Jennings 78 31 58 58 0.00 1.40 4.33 11.06 LSU-Crowley 79 32 58 58 0.00 1.41 4.45 11.49 Extreme/Average 82 31 58 59 0.00 1.81 4.79 11.12 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 83 32 56 59 0.02 1.26 5.73 11.68 LSU-Jeanerette 80 32 58 58 0.00 1.53 3.87 10.63 Morgan City 77 34 55 59 0.03 2.46 4.38 11.41 Extreme/Average 83 32 57 59 0.02 1.75 4.66 11.24 9. Southeast Galliano 78 35 58 60 0.00 2.41 4.08 11.86 Houma 80 34 58 60 0.00 1.52 2.98 11.30 Terrytown 3S 79 35 58 MM 0.00 1.73 6.67 MM.MM Reserve 82 34 58 59 0.00 1.24 4.19 13.17 Extreme/Average 82 34 58 60 0.00 1.73 4.48 12.10 State State Averages 84 25 57 57 0.00 1.67 4.67 11.92 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 08, 2009