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 31, 2008 Volume 08 No. 04 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.5 Soil moisture supplies: 14% short, 83% adequate and 3% surplus Field Crops Report Dry conditions across the state allowed producers to make excellent progress with field activities. Land preparation progressed significantly last week. Corn and rice producers were busy planting crops, surpassing last year and the five-year average for both crops. Corn began to emerge as warm, dry conditions were received during the week. Sorghum planting was underway. Winter wheat producers were scouting fields for insects and disease. Sugarcane producers continued treating fields with herbicides and preparing to fertilize. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Citrus producers were scouting and spraying for insects. Vegetable producers were harvesting greenhouse tomatoes and preparing to plant spring and summer crops. Strawberry producers continued harvesting and selling their crop. Crawfish producers continued harvesting. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Cool nights across the state continued to slow the growth of pasture. Some fertilizer was being applied to pastures. Cattlemen continued working cattle. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Planted 87 43 85 61 Emerged 14 0 46 23 Rice Planted 35 4 29 27 Sorghum Planted 5 0 24 7 Winter Wheat Headed 21 0 43 28 Land Preparation Spring plowing 50 28 68 55 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 2 9 47 37 5 Wheat 0 4 26 58 12 Livestock 0 5 39 54 2 Vegetables 2 15 51 31 1 Pasture 2 13 42 41 2 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 03/24/08 TO 03/30/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 83 34 62 59 0.03 2.87 11.05 13.70 Minden 81 32 61 59 0.00 2.91 12.37 14.93 Mooringsport 80 34 62 MM 0.00 3.61 11.97 12.66 Extreme/Average 83 32 62 60 0.01 3.13 11.80 14.02 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 81 33 60 60 0.11 1.93 8.56 16.28 Homer/Hill Farm 80 37 60 58 0.20 3.15 10.63 15.21 ULM-Monroe (84) 36 61 60 0.00 1.72 8.63 16.98 Colmubia Lock 84 38 60 MM 0.00 1.27 10.20 17.23 Extreme/Average 84 33 61 60 0.08 2.02 9.51 16.16 3. Northeast Lake Providence 82 37 60 59 0.00 2.57 13.76 17.31 LSU-St Joseph 80 41 60 61 0.00 2.53 13.11 17.55 LSU-Winnsboro 84 36 61 60 0.00 2.19 13.01 16.75 Tallulah 83 36 61 60 0.00 3.39 14.75 17.38 Extreme/Average 84 36 61 61 0.00 2.72 13.84 17.18 4. West-Central Leesville 83 34 64 61 0.00 2.59 13.33 15.63 LSU-Rosepine 84 37 63 61 0.01 2.83 13.64 15.53 Natchitoches 83 35 63 61 0.00 1.83 11.76 15.43 Extreme/Average 84 34 63 61 0.00 2.42 12.91 15.40 5. Central Alexandria 78 41 61 62 0.00 1.90 15.94 16.72 Brusly 79 33 56 62 M.MM 2.53 16.05 16.93 Bunkie 78 38 61 62 0.00 4.11 15.50 17.09 LSU-Alexandria 83 37 63 61 0.01 2.30 14.93 16.14 Extreme/Average 83 33 63 63 0.01 2.30 14.93 16.67 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 82 35 61 MM 0.07 3.99 13.11 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 83 33 62 63 0.04 2.66 14.44 15.91 LSU-Clinton 79 32 56 61 0.00 2.51 15.96 17.48 LSU-Hammond 83 (31) 61 62 0.27 3.65 16.72 17.79 Slidell 76 35 58 63 0.00 1.82 13.22 17.39 Extreme/Average 83 31 61 63 0.13 3.43 14.76 17.62 7. Southwest De Ridder 81 40 62 62 0.00 5.49 17.64 16.20 Jennings 76 42 60 63 0.00 3.42 16.32 14.43 LSU-Crowley 77 40 60 63 0.00 5.52 15.86 14.79 Extreme/Average 81 40 MM 64 M.MM M.MM MM.MM 14.43 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 83 37 62 63 0.03 2.38 11.42 15.64 LSU-Jeanerette 79 39 59 63 0.00 2.06 10.38 13.89 Morgan City 83 41 63 63 0.00 1.70 9.78 14.90 Extreme/Average 83 37 63 64 0.02 2.04 10.60 14.73 9. Southeast Galliano 80 39 62 65 0.00 2.59 17.21 15.97 Houma 83 35 63 65 0.00 1.25 8.96 14.98 Terrytown 3S 80 42 64 MM 0.00 2.24 15.90 MM.MM Reserve 83 40 63 64 0.00 2.87 13.53 17.47 Extreme/Average 83 35 63 65 0.00 2.24 13.09 16.20 State State Averages 84 31 62 62 0.03 2.51 12.85 16.15 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 30, 2008