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 12, 2007 Volume 07 No. 02 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.9 Soil moisture supplies: 2% very short, 25% short, 71% adequate and 2% surplus Field Crops Report Dry conditions throughout the week allowed producers to progress with field activities. Many corn producers began planting their fields. Rice producers were water leveling, and some producers began planting rice. Sugarcane producers were off-barring and spraying pre-emergence herbicides. Some soybean producers were preparing their fields for planting. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Strawberry producers continued harvesting and marketing their crop. Vegetable producers continued preparing land for planting, while planting was already underway for some. Vegetable producers were also harvesting greens and some cole crops. Crawfish farmers were harvesting crawfish with reports of good catches. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Warmer days helped pasture conditions improve. Calving was in full swing, and cattlemen were fertilizing and spraying weeds in pastures throughout the week. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2007 Week 2006 5 YR AVG Corn Planted 19 0 11 7 Rice Planted 2 0 1 2 Land Preparation Spring plowing 32 15 14 17 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 5 28 35 27 5 Wheat 0 5 33 50 12 Livestock 0 7 43 47 3 Vegetables 1 17 64 16 2 Pasture 1 14 53 30 2 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 03/05/07 TO 03/11/07 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 78 28 56 54 0.00 2.47 10.18 10.82 Minden 77 27 54 54 0.00 2.25 10.71 11.72 Mooringsport 77 33 57 MM 0.00 1.33 10.70 10.02 Extreme/Average 78 27 56 55 0.00 2.02 10.53 11.04 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 76 26 54 55 0.00 1.71 9.38 12.57 Homer/Hill Farm 79 28 57 53 0.00 2.87 11.21 11.81 ULM-Monroe 79 28 56 55 0.05 0.98 7.60 13.01 Winnfield MM MM MM 55 M.MM M.MM 6.37 12.30 Extreme/Average 79 26 55 56 0.02 1.93 9.41 12.57 3. Northeast Lake Providence 80 32 55 54 0.00 2.10 8.90 13.17 LSU-St Joseph (81) 28 57 56 0.00 2.84 11.12 13.41 LSU-Winnsboro 80 28 56 55 0.00 2.53 9.18 12.89 Tallulah 80 28 55 55 0.00 2.46 8.32 13.21 Extreme/Average 81 28 56 56 0.00 2.48 9.38 13.14 4. West-Central Leesville 78 (24) 55 57 0.00 1.46 7.31 12.34 LSU-Rosepine 80 26 55 57 0.00 2.68 9.95 12.09 Natchitoches 78 28 56 56 0.00 1.61 7.44 11.99 Extreme/Average 80 24 55 57 0.00 2.15 8.70 12.08 5. Central Alexandria 75 33 56 58 0.00 3.72 11.85 12.98 Brusly 78 27 53 58 0.00 1.87 10.59 13.64 Bunkie 80 32 57 58 0.00 1.42 9.72 13.30 LSU-Alexandria 81 32 57 57 0.00 1.30 9.77 12.68 Extreme/Average 81 27 56 58 0.00 1.53 10.03 13.08 6. East-Central Bogalusa 79 29 54 58 0.00 2.90 8.96 14.16 LSU-Baton Rouge 78 29 54 59 0.00 0.85 9.15 12.69 LSU-Clinton 77 28 54 57 0.00 1.12 8.86 13.88 LSU-Hammond 79 27 54 58 0.00 1.50 7.75 13.81 Slidell 80 29 54 59 0.00 2.57 8.72 13.58 Extreme/Average 80 27 54 59 0.00 1.59 8.62 13.68 7. Southwest De Ridder 80 30 56 58 0.00 2.53 10.34 12.80 Jennings 79 33 56 59 0.00 0.97 10.89 11.50 LSU-Crowley 78 32 55 59 0.00 0.43 10.97 11.91 Extreme/Average 80 30 56 60 0.00 1.31 10.73 11.54 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 77 30 55 59 0.00 0.72 7.62 12.19 LSU-Jeanerette 80 34 56 59 0.00 1.01 9.40 11.04 Morgan City 80 37 56 60 0.00 0.43 6.88 11.89 Extreme/Average 80 30 55 60 0.00 0.72 7.97 11.69 9. Southeast Galliano 71 33 55 61 0.00 0.70 7.29 12.40 Houma 80 32 56 61 0.00 2.07 8.50 11.79 NO Audubon Park 80 40 59 62 0.00 1.44 6.00 12.05 Reserve 78 32 57 60 0.00 2.15 8.96 13.74 Extreme/Average 80 32 57 61 0.00 1.89 7.82 12.64 State State Averages 81 24 56 58 0.00 1.72 9.36 12.44 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 11, 2007