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 26, 2007 Volume 07 No. 04 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.9 Soil moisture supplies: 6% very short, 41% short, 52% adequate and 1% surplus Field Crops Report Dry and spring-like conditions allowed producers to progress with field activities, but topsoil moisture was getting low. Corn planting continued to make good progress, jumping to 79 percent planted, far surpassing last year and the average. Rice producers continued with planting. Sugarcane producers were spraying herbicides and began to fertilize the crop. Soybean producers continued to prepare their fields for planting. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops Citrus growers were finishing up fertilizer application. Vegetable producers continued preparing land for planting, while some producers were already planting and working crops. Crawfish farmers were harvesting crawfish with reports of good catches. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Calving continued as well as some feeding. Cattlemen were fertilizing and spraying weeds in pastures throughout the week. Spring plowing continued with reports of ryegrass growing well. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2007 Week 2006 5 YR AVG Corn Planted 79 54 44 36 Emerged 14 0 9 7 Rice Planted 10 4 14 14 Sorghum Planted 20 0 0 0 Wheat Headed 12 1 33 13 Land Preparation Spring plowing 58 42 41 38 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 4 16 36 35 9 Wheat 0 3 31 51 15 Livestock 1 6 37 51 5 Vegetables 2 14 54 28 2 Pasture 1 8 52 37 2 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 03/19/07 TO 03/25/07 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 82 53 68 58 0.00 0.20 10.36 12.80 Minden 84 50 67 58 0.00 0.41 11.12 13.96 Mooringsport 80 53 68 MM 0.00 1.29 11.89 11.87 Extreme/Average 84 50 68 59 0.00 0.63 11.12 13.12 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun (86)(36) 64 59 0.00 0.81 10.27 15.21 Homer/Hill Farm 85 49 68 57 0.00 0.88 12.09 14.19 ULM-Monroe 84 49 66 59 0.00 0.87 8.21 15.81 Winnfield MM MM MM 59 M.MM M.MM 6.37 14.94 Extreme/Average 86 36 66 59 0.00 0.85 10.19 15.09 3. Northeast Lake Providence 83 54 68 57 0.00 0.27 8.90 16.05 LSU-St Joseph 84 37 65 60 0.00 1.29 11.13 16.35 LSU-Winnsboro 84 50 68 59 0.00 0.71 9.31 15.58 Tallulah 83 53 68 59 0.00 0.33 8.50 16.15 Extreme/Average 84 37 67 59 0.00 0.65 9.46 15.98 4. West-Central Leesville 83 56 69 61 0.00 1.66 8.91 14.68 LSU-Rosepine 81 54 68 60 0.00 1.79 11.87 14.56 Natchitoches 82 55 69 60 0.00 1.00 8.38 14.45 Extreme/Average 83 54 68 60 0.00 1.48 9.72 14.44 5. Central Alexandria 84 54 69 61 0.00 2.31 12.31 15.64 Brusly 83 53 69 61 0.00 1.49 11.80 15.89 Bunkie 85 54 69 61 0.00 0.59 9.89 15.95 LSU-Alexandria 86 56 70 60 0.00 0.34 9.94 15.15 Extreme/Average 86 53 69 62 0.00 0.81 10.54 15.60 6. East-Central Bogalusa 84 46 66 61 0.00 2.26 10.15 17.16 LSU-Baton Rouge 85 54 70 62 0.00 1.86 10.85 14.93 LSU-Clinton 82 36 67 60 0.00 1.25 9.83 16.37 LSU-Hammond 80 49 66 61 0.00 0.33 7.92 16.59 Slidell 80 50 66 62 0.00 1.73 10.28 16.32 Extreme/Average 85 36 67 62 0.00 1.49 9.80 16.48 7. Southwest De Ridder 84 56 69 62 0.00 2.58 12.64 15.25 Jennings 82 56 69 62 0.00 1.51 12.29 13.59 LSU-Crowley 82 57 69 62 0.00 1.26 12.22 13.95 Extreme/Average 84 56 69 63 0.00 1.78 12.38 13.59 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 85 52 69 62 0.00 1.74 9.30 14.57 LSU-Jeanerette 84 54 70 62 0.00 1.61 10.82 13.00 Morgan City 84 50 69 63 0.00 2.38 9.45 14.02 Extreme/Average 85 50 69 63 0.00 1.91 9.86 13.79 9. Southeast Galliano 80 45 67 64 0.00 1.67 8.92 14.96 Houma 83 50 68 64 0.00 1.73 10.16 14.03 NO Audubon Park 81 57 69 65 0.00 1.21 7.15 14.44 Reserve 80 51 66 63 0.00 1.63 10.69 16.39 Extreme/Average 83 45 68 64 0.00 1.56 9.23 15.16 State State Averages 86 36 68 61 0.00 1.24 10.37 14.87 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 25, 2007