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 27, 2008 Volume 08 No. 12 Days suitable for fieldwork: 4.3 Soil moisture supplies: 2% very short, 5% short, 62% adequate and 31% surplus. Field Crops Report The majority of the wheat harvest was delayed by rain. Some farmers who harvested prior to the rain had good to excellent yields. Rice producers tried to get out herbicides. Soybeans were hindered by wet weather. There were some reports of rust in sugarcane. Some farmers replanted cotton. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Warmer weather increased insect pressure on garden crops. Producers harvested strawberries, squash, sweet corn, cucumbers, and greenhouse tomatoes. Tomato and bell pepper fields were sprayed to control insects. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Many producers cut hay. Pastures showed improvement with the additional rainfall. Cattlemen continued to work calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Silked 7 1 41 16 Cotton Planted 93 89 92 94 Emerged 88 80 79 84 Hay First Cutting 46 36 48 47 Rice Planted 98 98 99 98 Emerged 96 94 95 96 Sorghum Planted 96 94 98 92 Emerged 93 91 96 85 Soybeans Planted 82 71 84 71 Emerged 75 62 75 60 Sweet Potatoes Planted 10 8 19 18 Winter Wheat Turning Color 100 99 97 98 Harvested 36 14 34 37 Land Preparation Spring plowing 99 99 99 98 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 0 1 12 63 24 Cotton 0 3 29 64 4 Rice 0 3 17 69 11 Sorghum 0 1 21 63 15 Soybeans 2 7 28 59 4 Sugarcane 0 4 20 56 20 Wheat 0 2 19 57 22 Livestock 0 3 27 62 8 Vegetables 1 7 33 52 7 Pasture 1 5 31 56 7 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 05/19/08 TO 05/25/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 93 58 77 74 0.00 10.86 25.22 22.32 Minden 91 55 76 73 0.00 4.08 19.76 24.60 Mooringsport 93 58 77 MM 0.00 6.63 21.83 19.52 Extreme/Average 93 55 76 74 0.00 M.MM MM.MM 22.78 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun MM MM MM 74 M.MM M.MM MM.MM MM.MM Homer/Hill Farm 91 51 75 72 0.13 3.80 17.25 24.56 ULM-Monroe 93 58 77 74 0.71 5.08 16.89 27.26 Colmubia Lock 92 (47) 75 MM 0.10 5.45 19.10 27.93 Extreme/Average 93 47 75 74 0.31 5.08 16.89 25.87 3. Northeast Lake Providence 92 61 76 74 0.48 8.81 25.61 28.47 LSU-St Joseph 92 49 72 75 0.69 3.80 21.08 27.65 LSU-Winnsboro MM MM MM 74 M.MM M.MM MM.MM MM.MM Tallulah 90 59 75 74 0.78 3.52 23.01 27.90 Extreme/Average 92 49 76 75 0.63 M.MM MM.MM 27.61 4. West-Central Leesville 93 65 78 74 0.43 4.34 19.46 24.70 LSU-Rosepine 92 59 79 75 0.43 3.63 19.35 24.47 Natchitoches MM MM MM 75 0.00 0.00 20.71 24.85 Extreme/Average 93 59 79 74 0.43 3.99 19.41 24.60 5. Central Alexandria (94) 60 78 76 0.17 3.28 22.94 26.16 Brusly 92 60 79 75 0.81 7.61 25.73 26.40 Bunkie 91 64 79 76 0.06 5.26 23.36 27.88 LSU-Alexandria 93 55 76 75 0.04 2.50 22.10 25.18 Extreme/Average 94 55 79 76 0.35 5.38 23.15 26.40 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 89 61 77 MM 0.55 7.88 24.33 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge MM MM MM 76 M.MM M.MM MM.MM MM.MM LSU-Clinton 90 59 78 74 0.69 5.96 24.82 27.95 LSU-Hammond 89 61 77 75 0.78 11.66 30.10 27.22 Slidell 87 65 78 76 2.56 9.05 30.95 27.07 Extreme/Average 90 59 77 76 1.15 8.50 26.42 27.98 7. Southwest De Ridder 92 62 79 76 0.00 2.37 24.15 24.78 Jennings 89 63 79 76 0.35 5.12 25.52 23.06 LSU-Crowley 89 66 80 77 0.54 5.77 23.81 23.97 Extreme/Average 92 62 79 76 0.30 5.45 24.67 23.32 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 90 61 78 76 2.95 6.81 20.10 24.51 LSU-Jeanerette 89 65 79 76 0.71 5.17 18.29 22.80 Morgan City 88 61 76 76 0.85 3.28 16.00 23.60 Extreme/Average 90 61 77 77 1.50 5.99 19.20 23.70 9. Southeast Galliano 87 69 78 76 0.39 4.91 25.45 25.20 Houma 89 64 78 77 1.86 4.28 15.65 23.89 Terrytown 3S 91 66 79 MM 1.96 6.47 30.98 MM.MM Reserve 91 65 78 76 2.00 5.91 22.56 26.86 Extreme/Average 91 64 78 77 1.55 5.39 23.66 25.20 State State Averages 94 47 78 75 0.66 5.66 22.28 25.34 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through May 25, 2008