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: May 5, 2008 Volume 08 No. 09 Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.6 Soil moisture supplies: 3% very short, 22% short, 66% adequate and 9% surplus Field Crops Report Some fields near the Mississippi River still have seep water; there are a few reports of fields of damaged corn which may not survive. Farmers that have unplanted fields with seep water may be unable to plant until June. Rice producers were busy applying herbicide and fertilizer applications. Soybean planting continued. Sugarcane fertilization continued. Some farmers have harvested wheat fields. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Vegetable producers scouted for insects and presence of disease on vegetable crops. Crawfish production has slowed down, and some producers drained ponds. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Rain helped establishment of summer perennial grasses, but growth was slowed by cool night temperatures. Cattleman continued cutting ryegrass hay. The price of fertilizer has limited application, but some producers have applied fertilizer to hayfields. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Emerged 100 99 100 100 Cotton Planted 68 49 39 55 Emerged 49 20 20 31 Hay First Cutting 28 22 20 20 Rice Planted 91 86 87 88 Emerged 82 69 75 76 Sorghum Planted 84 74 90 71 Emerged 67 54 76 54 Soybeans Planted 56 48 51 45 Emerged 42 20 35 32 Winter Wheat Headed 100 99 100 98 Turning Color 77 46 51 47 Land Preparation Spring plowing 92 89 96 95 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 0 3 18 63 16 Rice 0 3 20 72 5 Sorghum 0 1 29 60 10 Sugarcane 1 4 41 42 12 Wheat 0 1 23 61 15 Livestock 1 3 32 57 7 Vegetables 1 7 38 48 6 Pasture 2 8 32 49 9 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 04/28/08 TO 05/04/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 84 47 65 68 0.38 1.43 14.80 19.02 Minden 82 44 63 67 0.20 1.11 15.88 21.03 Mooringsport 82 43 64 MM 1.18 2.43 16.38 17.09 Extreme/Average 84 43 64 68 0.29 1.27 15.34 19.41 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun MM MM MM 68 0.02 0.47 11.55 21.91 Homer/Hill Farm 82 (41) 60 67 0.05 0.85 13.50 21.14 ULM-Monroe 86 45 66 68 0.79 1.26 12.60 23.32 Colmubia Lock 84 48 66 MM 1.06 1.96 14.71 24.14 Extreme/Average 86 41 66 68 0.79 1.26 12.60 22.09 3. Northeast Lake Providence 81 47 65 68 1.01 2.12 17.81 24.47 LSU-St Joseph 86 48 68 70 1.19 2.31 18.47 23.90 LSU-Winnsboro MM MM MM 69 0.01 1.81 17.48 23.28 Tallulah 81 49 64 68 0.05 2.16 19.54 23.85 Extreme/Average 86 47 MM 69 M.MM M.MM MM.MM 23.81 4. West-Central Leesville (87) 44 67 69 0.97 1.38 16.09 20.91 LSU-Rosepine 85 45 63 69 1.25 2.27 16.97 20.62 Natchitoches MM MM MM 69 0.00 0.29 19.82 20.83 Extreme/Average 87 44 65 69 1.11 1.83 16.53 20.75 5. Central Alexandria 85 50 68 70 0.45 2.19 20.11 22.51 Brusly 84 45 67 70 1.61 2.30 19.73 23.40 Bunkie 84 49 69 70 0.92 2.74 19.02 23.68 LSU-Alexandria 86 49 68 70 0.39 3.41 19.74 21.47 Extreme/Average 86 45 68 70 0.59 2.78 19.62 22.62 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW MM MM MM MM 0.49 1.48 14.60 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge MM MM MM 70 0.96 1.13 15.56 22.02 LSU-Clinton MM MM MM 69 0.85 0.85 17.47 24.28 LSU-Hammond MM MM MM 70 0.06 0.96 18.49 24.22 Slidell 81 48 69 71 1.84 3.80 19.94 23.06 Extreme/Average 81 48 MM 70 M.MM M.MM MM.MM 24.18 7. Southwest De Ridder 86 47 68 70 0.10 3.75 21.88 21.10 Jennings 84 50 70 71 0.56 3.21 20.96 19.21 LSU-Crowley 82 51 69 71 0.06 1.78 18.10 20.03 Extreme/Average 86 47 70 71 0.56 3.21 20.96 19.46 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 83 50 69 71 1.46 2.34 14.75 21.56 LSU-Jeanerette 84 48 69 71 0.82 1.38 13.93 19.34 Morgan City MM MM MM 71 0.00 2.77 12.72 19.92 Extreme/Average 84 48 69 72 1.14 2.34 14.75 20.28 9. Southeast Galliano 82 50 70 72 0.06 3.18 20.60 21.26 Houma MM MM MM 72 0.03 0.77 9.73 20.24 Terrytown 3S 84 54 72 MM 1.68 6.20 26.19 MM.MM Reserve 84 53 70 71 2.16 3.32 18.57 23.39 Extreme/Average 84 50 70 72 2.16 3.32 18.57 21.74 State State Averages 87 41 68 70 0.93 2.42 17.44 21.06 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through May 4, 2008