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: July 2, 2007 Volume 07 No. 18 Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.3 Soil moisture supplies: 8% very short, 17% short, 67% adequate and 8% surplus Field Crops Report Much of the state received scattered rainfall last week. Some areas in the northeastern part of the state remain very dry and in need of rain. Farmers in this area of the state were using irrigation where available. Soybean producers were busy applying fungicides and insecticides and scouting for Asian soybean rust. Soybeans suffering from water damage due to heavy rains were recovering. Stinkbugs were becoming a problem in many rice fields. Some rice producers began draining their fields for harvest. Showers and warm temperatures were aiding in good sugarcane growth. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops Vegetable producers were busy harvesting and selling produce. The peach harvest reached 52 percent complete, slightly ahead of the 5-year average. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Rainfall and warm temperatures led to good pasture growing conditions. Rainfall slowed the harvest for some hay producers. The first cutting of hay was 92 percent complete, equal to the 5-year average. The second cutting of hay was 19 percent complete, ahead of the 5-year average. PERCENT OF PROGRESS CROP STAGE Current Week Last Week 2006 5 YR AVG Corn Dough 62 51 62 52 Mature 3 0 3 3 Cotton Squaring 82 57 94 88 Setting Bolls 14 3 43 28 Hay First Cutting 92 90 100 92 Second Cutting 19 8 18 9 Peaches Harvested 52 41 44 50 Rice Headed 33 22 32 40 Sorghum Headed 56 37 68 47 Turning Color 6 0 13 4 Soybeans Planted 100 99 100 97 Emerged 99 98 99 93 Blooming 70 47 67 48 Setting Pods 38 26 47 25 Sweet Potatoes Planted 98 93 99 88 CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES ITEM VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 6 11 24 46 13 Cotton 0 4 33 56 7 Rice 0 3 39 50 8 Sorghum 1 2 16 46 35 Soybeans 1 5 26 58 10 Sugarcane 0 3 36 42 19 Livestock 0 4 22 67 7 Vegetables 2 11 36 46 5 Pasture 1 6 29 55 9 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 06/25/07 TO 07/01/07 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVG NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 91 71 81 81 1.03 6.81 24.85 28.13 Minden 92 70 80 80 0.95 7.62 27.83 30.48 Mooringsport 91 70 81 MM 1.27 3.70 25.18 25.38 Extreme/Average 92 70 81 81 1.08 6.04 25.95 28.67 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 94 69 81 81 0.97 3.29 23.20 31.11 Homer/Hill Farm 93 68 81 80 0.64 3.17 26.22 30.39 ULM-Monroe 96 70 83 82 0.24 2.48 16.81 32.98 Winnfield MM MM MM 80 M.MM M.MM 6.37 32.79 Extreme/Average 96 68 81 81 0.81 3.23 24.71 31.64 3. Northeast Lake Providence 93 71 82 81 0.10 2.00 18.10 34.09 LSU-St Joseph (97)(60) 81 82 0.01 0.51 16.78 32.37 LSU-Winnsboro MM MM MM 81 0.00 1.73 22.02 32.42 Tallulah 95 68 82 81 0.00 1.86 15.38 33.59 Extreme/Average 97 60 82 82 0.05 1.86 MM.MM 33.03 4. West-Central Leesville 93 67 80 80 0.38 4.52 22.73 30.51 LSU-Rosepine 91 70 81 81 0.19 6.78 27.32 30.40 Natchitoches 94 69 81 82 0.46 4.49 18.85 30.40 Extreme/Average 94 67 81 81 0.42 4.51 20.79 30.31 5. Central Alexandria 94 73 83 82 0.25 4.19 25.38 32.04 Brusly 93 70 80 81 0.84 6.52 30.37 32.69 Bunkie 92 71 81 82 1.55 3.79 22.71 34.08 LSU-Alexandria 94 63 80 81 0.57 5.06 24.47 30.52 Extreme/Average 94 63 81 82 0.80 4.89 25.85 32.26 6. East-Central Bogalusa 93 71 82 81 0.69 1.56 21.12 35.18 LSU-Baton Rouge 93 69 81 81 0.11 6.32 27.83 32.41 LSU-Clinton 92 68 80 80 1.23 3.98 24.76 33.88 LSU-Hammond 93 69 81 81 0.03 5.16 25.38 33.17 Slidell 91 72 81 81 0.38 4.78 25.31 32.36 Extreme/Average 93 68 81 81 0.52 4.26 24.78 34.16 7. Southwest De Ridder 91 71 81 81 1.25 8.67 32.20 31.43 Jennings 90 71 80 81 1.80 5.17 26.35 29.83 LSU-Crowley 92 74 82 82 0.15 6.40 30.17 30.50 Extreme/Average 92 71 81 82 1.07 6.75 29.57 30.35 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 92 72 81 82 1.49 6.77 26.94 31.04 LSU-Jeanerette 92 72 82 81 0.51 10.47 29.08 31.01 Morgan City 91 73 82 81 1.57 5.40 21.84 30.53 Extreme/Average 92 72 82 82 1.19 7.55 25.95 31.05 9. Southeast Galliano 91 74 82 81 0.41 4.05 20.29 32.19 Houma 91 70 81 82 0.51 6.32 21.03 30.99 NO Audubon Park 94 74 83 83 0.11 4.47 23.09 32.04 Reserve 93 72 82 81 0.73 7.93 32.29 34.69 Extreme/Average 94 70 82 82 0.34 4.95 21.69 32.15 State State Averages 97 60 81 82 0.71 4.89 25.19 31.46 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through July 1, 2007