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: September 5, 2008 Volume 08 No. 26 THIS REPORT REFLECTS PROGRESS AND CONDITIONS PRIOR TO HURRICANE GUSTAV. Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.0 Soil moisture supplies: 3% very short, 13% short, 63% adequate, and 21% surplus. Field Crops Report Producers across the state were busy preparing for Hurricane Gustav. There were reports that rains were affecting the timing of the corn and soybean harvest. Some producers were forced to stop harvesting corn to cut soybeans. Soybean producers were applying insecticides for stinkbugs. Rice producers were busy harvesting. Wet weather hindered sugarcane planting. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crop There were reports that summer planted tomatoes were doing well. Some vegetable producing regions were still too dry. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Some hay producing areas received much needed rainfall, with 80% of pasture in fair or better condition. Rainfall hindered the second cutting of hay. Cattlemen were marketing weaned calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Harvested 69 55 76 79 Cotton Bolls Opening 57 45 52 53 Hay Second Cutting 88 87 94 93 Rice Headed 100 99 100 100 Ripe 84 78 93 94 Harvested 45 44 73 75 Sorghum Mature 99 98 97 92 Harvested 68 51 84 72 Soybeans Setting Pods 99 97 100 99 Turning Color 53 49 71 61 Dropping Leaves 39 34 52 44 Harvested 15 6 16 21 Sweet Potatoes Harvested 13 3 7 9 Sugarcane Planted 35 22 51 51 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Cotton 5 16 40 38 1 Rice 0 6 30 51 13 Sorghum 0 11 44 42 3 Soybeans 6 15 38 36 5 Sugarcane 5 11 30 38 16 Livestock 4 7 43 42 4 Vegetables 10 26 42 21 1 Pasture 4 16 41 36 3 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 08/25/08 TO 08/31/08 DATA NOT AVAILABLE