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: June 23, 2008 Volume 08 No. 16 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.0 Soil moisture supplies: 15% very short, 42% short, 35% adequate and 8% surplus. Field Crops Report Most early-planted rice was in panicle elongation, and some of the very early-planted rice has headed out. Nutrient deficiencies and rice water weevil problems have developed in some rice fields. Soybean producers have sprayed fields with insect applications to treat for stinkbugs. Heat stress combined with the dry soil conditions has forced flowering in some of the younger soybean plants. Most sugarcane farmers finished laying-by cane. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Vegetable producers sold summer crops. Citrus producers scouted for insects. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Pastures conditions have continued to decline due to lack of moisture. Cattlemen fertilized summer pastures. Producers who have baled hay have reported a reduction in yield compared to previous year's baling. The condition of livestock has been affected by the hot, dry weather conditions. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Silked 99 95 99 97 Dough 44 11 48 28 Cotton Emerged 100 99 100 100 Squaring 60 24 54 66 Setting Bolls 5 0 2 7 Hay First Cutting 89 85 88 86 Second Cutting 7 0 6 3 Peaches Harvested 39 19 38 35 Rice Headed 15 4 18 17 Sorghum Emerged 100 98 100 99 Headed 46 21 32 22 Soybeans Planted 98 95 99 94 Emerged 96 90 97 90 Blooming 42 25 44 36 Setting Pods 19 6 24 14 Sweet Potatoes Planted 89 70 91 79 Winter Wheat Harvested 100 99 100 100 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 1 3 26 60 10 Cotton 0 1 28 56 15 Rice 0 2 14 72 12 Sorghum 0 3 33 60 4 Soybeans 1 7 35 48 9 Sugarcane 0 4 24 53 19 Livestock 1 7 28 58 6 Vegetables 3 12 32 49 4 Pasture 4 12 40 42 2 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 06/16/08 TO 06/22/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 94 66 80 80 0.90 5.76 30.98 26.91 Minden 93 65 79 79 0.00 5.18 24.94 29.23 Mooringsport 94 67 80 MM 0.76 3.77 25.60 24.18 Extreme/Average 94 65 80 80 0.55 4.90 27.17 27.44 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 94 63 79 80 0.49 3.29 20.90 30.01 Homer/Hill Farm 92 61 77 78 1.02 3.64 20.89 29.11 ULM-Monroe 97 67 82 80 0.00 0.25 17.14 31.86 Colmubia Lock 94 64 79 MM 0.95 2.11 21.21 32.83 Extreme/Average 97 61 78 80 0.82 3.01 21.00 30.46 3. Northeast Lake Providence 93 65 79 80 1.89 3.80 29.41 32.97 LSU-St Joseph 95 64 81 81 0.13 1.98 23.06 31.41 LSU-Winnsboro 97 62 80 80 0.09 1.03 25.22 31.32 Tallulah 95 61 79 80 0.03 0.78 25.00 32.47 Extreme/Average 97 61 79 81 0.54 1.90 25.67 31.94 4. West-Central Leesville 98 65 81 79 0.04 1.38 21.28 29.31 LSU-Rosepine 95 66 80 80 0.33 1.13 20.83 29.11 Natchitoches (99) 71 83 81 0.44 1.86 25.10 29.39 Extreme/Average 99 65 81 80 0.27 1.46 22.40 29.15 5. Central Alexandria 98 70 84 81 1.05 2.07 25.01 30.83 Brusly 92 68 80 80 0.88 2.47 28.20 31.17 Bunkie 96 70 83 81 1.45 1.98 25.34 32.88 LSU-Alexandria 96 (59) 81 81 0.11 0.39 22.49 29.40 Extreme/Average 98 59 82 81 0.87 1.73 25.26 31.04 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 95 68 81 MM 0.98 1.00 25.33 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 95 70 82 80 0.27 0.80 25.79 30.89 LSU-Clinton 93 68 80 79 0.44 0.44 25.57 32.58 LSU-Hammond 96 67 81 80 1.40 1.78 31.88 31.73 Slidell 91 70 81 81 0.46 0.71 31.66 31.07 Extreme/Average 96 67 81 80 0.71 1.07 28.67 32.75 7. Southwest De Ridder 95 69 83 80 0.15 0.73 25.38 29.99 Jennings 95 70 83 81 2.01 2.30 27.83 28.31 LSU-Crowley 94 71 83 81 0.46 1.97 25.79 29.06 Extreme/Average 95 69 83 81 0.87 1.67 26.33 28.75 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 91 71 81 81 2.31 3.64 23.74 29.41 LSU-Jeanerette 94 69 81 80 0.74 1.13 20.11 29.13 Morgan City 91 69 80 80 1.28 2.35 18.35 28.82 Extreme/Average 94 69 81 81 1.44 2.37 20.73 29.29 9. Southeast Galliano 92 71 81 81 1.36 2.61 27.92 30.49 Houma 94 70 81 81 0.91 1.31 17.23 29.19 Terrytown 3S 98 69 83 MM 5.29 6.72 37.70 MM.MM Reserve 94 72 82 80 1.09 4.19 26.75 32.85 Extreme/Average 98 69 82 81 2.16 3.71 27.40 30.45 State Averages 99 59 81 81 0.95 2.36 25.16 30.22 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through June 22, 2008