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 06, 2009 Volume 09 No. 18 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.8 Soil moisture supplies: 55% very short, 33% short, and 12% adequate Field Crops Report Dry conditions persisted across the state. Twenty-eight percent of the rice crop was heading, slightly behind the 5-year average of 42%. Eighty-two percent of the corn was at the dough state, compared to the 5-year average of 69%. Forty-one percent of cotton had set bolls, slightly ahead of the 5-year average of 38%. Two percent of the sorghum had turned color, behind the 5-year average of 13%. Fifty-seven percent of beans were setting pods, ahead of the 5-year average of 44%. Sugarcane growth has slowed due to the hot, dry weather and some browning on the leaves has occurred. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Producers harvested vegetables. 100% of the sweet potato crop was planted. Fifty-five percent of peaches were harvested, slightly behind the 5-year average of 61% Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Pastures and hay fields continued to show slow growth due to inadequate moisture levels. Twenty-six percent of producers had completed a second cutting of hay. Cattlemen continued to feed hay and market calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2009 Week 2008 5 YR AVG Corn Silked 100 99 100 100 Dough 82 60 79 69 Cotton Squaring 93 84 82 90 Setting Bolls 41 9 39 38 Hay First Cutting 97 96 95 92 Second Cutting 26 8 33 19 Peaches Harvested 55 29 71 61 Rice Headed 28 26 38 42 Sorghum Headed 81 51 84 68 Turning Color 2 0 18 13 Soybeans Planted 100 99 100 100 Emerged 100 98 99 98 Blooming 70 54 58 66 Setting Pods 57 36 34 44 Sweet Potatoes Planted 100 95 98 94 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 6 17 33 31 13 Cotton 1 23 31 34 11 Rice 1 4 30 55 10 Sorghum 6 23 39 32 0 Soybeans 9 24 37 21 9 Sugarcane 2 25 40 30 3 Livestock 1 12 49 37 1 Vegetables 8 26 46 19 1 Pasture 11 29 41 18 1 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 06/29/09 TO 07/05/09 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City102 70 87 82 0.00 0.22 23.11 28.69 Minden 101 69 86 81 0.00 0.42 25.91 31.08 Mooringsport 103 71 87 MM 0.28 0.89 22.01 25.88 Extreme/Average 103 69 86 82 0.09 0.51 23.68 29.25 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 102 70 86 82 0.00 0.00 22.58 31.63 Homer/Hill Farm 99 66 82 80 0.15 0.49 23.12 30.99 ULM-Monroe 101 72 87 82 0.10 0.10 22.85 33.50 Columbia Lock 101 67 85 MM 0.00 0.00 21.47 34.62 Extreme/Average 102 66 85 82 0.08 0.20 22.48 32.20 3. Northeast Lake Providence 100 68 85 81 0.06 0.06 26.67 34.62 LSU-St Joseph 100 (65) 85 82 0.01 0.01 20.07 32.85 LSU-Winnsboro 101 65 85 82 0.00 0.00 22.61 32.93 Tallulah 99 65 84 81 1.68 1.68 31.44 34.15 Extreme/Average 101 65 85 82 0.44 0.44 25.20 33.55 4. West-Central Leesville 104 68 86 81 0.00 0.19 20.98 31.11 LSU-Rosepine 104 69 86 81 1.05 1.07 23.45 31.08 Natchitoches (105) 69 88 82 0.22 0.22 21.81 30.88 Extreme/Average 105 68 87 81 0.42 0.49 22.08 30.87 5. Central Alexandria 102 72 88 83 0.92 0.92 21.29 32.61 Brusly 97 71 85 81 0.56 0.96 23.18 33.45 Bunkie 103 73 88 82 0.64 0.64 28.08 34.64 LSU-Alexandria 104 73 88 82 2.55 2.55 24.07 31.11 Extreme/Average 104 71 87 82 1.17 1.27 25.11 32.89 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 102 71 87 MM 0.46 0.46 23.15 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 98 72 86 81 0.44 1.32 22.61 33.13 LSU-Clinton MM MM MM 81 0.60 0.60 20.05 34.52 LSU-Hammond 100 70 86 81 1.37 1.75 18.05 33.93 Slidell 98 72 84 82 0.23 0.71 18.16 33.11 Extreme/Average 102 70 86 82 0.63 1.18 21.27 34.91 7. Southwest DeRidder 101 72 86 82 1.56 1.56 25.42 32.15 Jennings 99 74 87 81 0.69 0.72 22.30 30.59 LSU-Crowley 101 74 87 82 1.51 1.51 26.50 31.23 Extreme/Average 101 72 87 82 1.25 1.26 24.74 31.15 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 97 73 85 82 1.16 3.64 24.62 31.88 LSU-Jeanerette 99 70 86 81 4.31 4.33 27.02 31.89 Morgan City 95 73 85 81 0.95 1.41 18.18 31.46 Extreme/Average 99 70 86 82 2.14 3.13 23.27 31.93 9. Southeast Galliano 95 74 87 81 0.32 1.92 18.17 33.12 Houma 97 73 86 82 0.96 1.16 13.99 31.96 Terrytown 3S 100 75 88 MM 0.84 1.94 24.10 MM.MM Reserve MM MM MM 82 M.MM M.MM 10.08 35.59 Extreme/Average 100 73 87 82 0.71 1.67 18.75 33.03 State State Averages 105 65 86 82 0.78 1.11 23.02 32.29 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through July 05, 2009 The Louisiana Crop-Weather Summary is published weekly beginning the second week of March and ending the first week of December by USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service's Louisiana Field Office. Subscription is free to respondents and cooperators, $12.00 annually to all others. For free automatic e-mail subscription to this publication, go to our homepage at http://www.nass.usda.gov/la and click on "Subscribe to LA reports" on the right hand side of the page. Choose the reports you want to receive, and complete the form.