LA-WEATHER United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Louisiana Field Office Crop Weather Cooperating with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry and the Louisiana State University Ag Center Louisiana Field Office · 5825 Florida Blvd · Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 922-1362 · (225) 922-0744 FAX www.nass.usda.gov/la Released: March 24, 2008 Volume 08 No. 03 Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.2 Soil moisture supplies: 2% short, 83% adequate and 15% surplus Field Crops Report Spring plowing conditions were improving after being delayed from wet conditions. Conditions were improving for planting of corn and rice. Some wheat fungicides were applied. Some farmers had sprayed wheat fields for aphids. Sugarcane producers has begun application of pre- and post-emergent herbicides and were starting to fertilize. Off-barring of sugarcane has started in drier fields. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Citrus producers were finishing fertilization and scouting trees for insects. Vegetable farmers were planting summer crops. Producers harvested greenhouse tomatoes and strawberries. Strawberry producers sprayed to control mites and diseases in their fields. Crawfish farmers were getting good yields and size was starting to increase. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Cool nights were prolonging the growth of winter forages but slowing the growth of pasture. Some fertilizer was being applied to pastures. Cattlemen were beginning to cut ryegrass hay, and calving continued. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Planted 43 3 72 39 Rice Planted 4 2 8 10 Land Preparation Spring plowing 28 18 58 35 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 1 10 47 38 4 Wheat 0 3 23 61 13 Livestock 1 7 33 58 1 Vegetables 3 21 43 31 2 Pasture 1 19 39 39 2 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 03/17/08 TO 03/23/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 85 37 61 57 0.12 3.10 10.56 12.65 Minden 85 35 60 57 0.11 3.48 12.37 13.80 Mooringsport 83 40 61 MM 0.69 3.88 11.84 11.74 Extreme/Average 85 35 61 58 0.31 3.29 11.47 12.97 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 86 (34) 61 58 0.02 1.97 8.45 15.03 Homer/Hill Farm 84 36 60 56 0.10 3.35 10.43 14.02 ULM-Monroe 87 39 62 58 0.07 2.01 8.63 15.61 Colmubia Lock 86 37 60 MM 0.18 1.43 10.20 15.83 Extreme/Average 87 34 61 58 0.09 2.44 9.17 14.91 3. Northeast Lake Providence 83 38 60 57 0.20 2.98 13.76 15.84 LSU-St Joseph 86 38 62 59 0.10 2.82 13.11 16.14 LSU-Winnsboro 87 37 61 58 0.22 2.46 13.01 15.38 Tallulah 86 36 63 58 1.30 3.92 14.75 15.94 Extreme/Average 87 36 61 59 0.46 3.05 13.66 15.78 4. West-Central Leesville 85 34 63 60 0.41 2.76 13.33 14.52 LSU-Rosepine 82 37 62 60 0.21 2.85 12.98 14.39 Natchitoches 86 35 61 59 0.07 2.06 11.76 14.28 Extreme/Average 86 34 62 60 0.23 2.81 13.16 14.28 5. Central Alexandria 85 42 64 61 0.14 1.90 15.76 15.45 Brusly 85 41 64 61 0.47 2.64 16.05 15.72 Bunkie 85 40 64 61 0.28 4.15 15.50 15.76 LSU-Alexandria 85 40 64 60 0.20 2.47 14.37 14.98 Extreme/Average 85 40 64 61 0.27 3.09 15.31 15.42 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 77 41 62 MM 0.28 4.22 13.04 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge (88) 40 64 61 0.39 2.70 14.40 14.77 LSU-Clinton 85 39 62 60 0.33 3.01 15.96 16.19 LSU-Hammond 78 39 63 61 0.29 3.64 16.45 16.40 Slidell 75 44 63 62 0.38 1.92 13.22 16.13 Extreme/Average 88 39 63 62 0.33 3.10 14.61 16.28 7. Southwest De Ridder 81 40 62 61 0.26 5.49 17.64 15.08 Jennings 83 43 64 61 0.15 3.43 16.32 13.45 LSU-Crowley 82 44 64 62 1.03 5.53 15.73 13.81 Extreme/Average 83 40 63 62 0.48 4.82 16.56 13.45 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 83 44 64 62 0.31 2.41 11.39 14.40 LSU-Jeanerette 83 42 64 62 0.31 2.10 10.21 12.86 Morgan City 83 47 65 62 0.34 1.72 9.78 13.87 Extreme/Average 83 42 65 63 0.32 2.08 10.46 13.64 9. Southeast Galliano 80 45 65 63 0.44 2.60 17.21 14.78 Houma 81 42 65 64 0.20 1.27 8.96 13.87 Terrytown 3S 79 47 65 MM 0.44 2.24 15.90 MM.MM Reserve 78 45 64 62 0.23 2.87 13.53 16.21 Extreme/Average 81 42 65 64 0.33 1.94 13.09 14.98 State State Averages 88 34 63 61 0.31 3.05 13.40 14.69 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 23, 2008