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: October 06, 2008 Volume 08 No. 31 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.8 Soil moisture supplies: 5% very short, 29% short, 63% adequate and 3% surplus. Field Crops Report Soybean producers reported notable differences in yield and quality. There were reports that elevators would not accept grain with a high moisture content or a sharp decline in quality. Many producers evaluated their fields and only harvested the best portions to try and minimize the quality and moisture damages sustained from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Rice harvest was almost completed and producers prepared fields for next season. Many of the ratoon crops were abandoned due to hurricane damage. Sugarcane producers planted sugarcane and prepared equipment for grinding. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Citrus producers continued with post hurricane cleanup. Strawberry producers planted new plants. Vegetable producers sprayed cucumber and tomato plants for disease and harvested greens and squash. Sweet potato harvest continued where soil moisture levels permitted. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Cattlemen continued to harvest hay and plant winter forages. Beef producers began to market weaned calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Harvested 100 99 100 100 Cotton Bolls Opening 100 98 98 97 Harvested 45 28 34 51 Hay Second Cutting 96 94 100 99 Rice Harvested 95 86 100 98 Sorghum Harvested 97 95 99 100 Soybeans Turning Color 96 93 99 98 Dropping Leaves 89 83 96 90 Harvested 70 56 79 73 Sweetpotatoes Harvested 28 24 43 45 Sugarcane Planted 74 56 97 97 Harvested 1 0 3 5 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Cotton 36 34 24 24 0 Rice 16 25 38 20 1 Soybeans 16 25 38 20 1 Sugarcane 5 30 37 27 1 Livestock 2 11 33 49 5 Vegetables 18 19 44 17 2 Pasture 6 13 43 34 4 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 09/28/08 TO 10/06/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 87 48 69 71 0.00 1.77 40.83 38.50 Minden 85 48 67 70 0.00 2.29 37.32 41.60 Mooringsport 87 50 69 MM 0.00 1.44 35.28 34.97 Extreme/Average 87 48 68 70 0.00 1.83 37.81 39.53 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 86 48 67 71 0.01 4.65 45.37 41.98 Homer/Hill Farm 84 (42) 63 69 0.00 0.90 32.98 42.01 ULM-Monroe 87 51 70 71 0.00 2.02 41.54 43.53 Colmubia Lock 84 53 69 MM 0.00 2.29 43.17 45.03 Extreme/Average 87 42 67 70 0.00 2.47 40.77 42.92 3. Northeast Lake Providence 87 52 69 71 0.00 1.74 52.05 44.24 LSU-St Joseph 88 53 70 71 0.00 1.86 54.64 42.92 LSU-Winnsboro 84 50 68 71 0.00 1.11 51.69 42.29 Tallulah 84 53 68 70 0.00 1.31 45.23 44.26 Extreme/Average 88 50 70 71 0.00 1.80 53.35 43.37 4. West-Central Leesville 87 47 69 71 0.00 2.16 35.20 43.35 LSU-Rosepine 86 51 71 72 0.00 1.99 36.11 44.48 Natchitoches 86 55 71 72 0.00 4.06 36.26 40.97 Extreme/Average 87 47 71 71 0.00 3.03 36.11 42.21 5. Central Alexandria 88 50 71 73 0.00 3.76 41.15 45.31 Brusly 89 51 71 72 0.00 1.54 51.43 49.69 Bunkie 88 52 72 72 0.00 3.01 51.97 46.56 LSU-Alexandria 89 52 72 72 0.00 4.25 52.96 44.13 Extreme/Average 89 50 72 72 0.00 3.14 52.12 46.00 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 88 52 72 MM 0.00 3.06 42.99 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 90 52 72 73 0.00 2.34 48.35 48.59 LSU-Clinton MM MM MM 72 M.MM M.MM 41.37 49.27 LSU-Hammond 88 52 70 72 0.00 1.12 49.63 50.99 Slidell 88 53 72 73 0.00 0.95 52.51 50.40 Extreme/Average 90 52 71 73 0.00 1.87 48.37 50.95 7. Southwest De Ridder 88 52 72 73 0.00 1.77 42.59 46.12 Jennings 88 54 72 73 0.00 2.20 44.75 46.80 LSU-Crowley 89 53 73 74 0.00 3.15 45.52 46.77 Extreme/Average 89 52 72 73 0.00 2.37 44.29 47.56 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 88 52 72 73 0.00 4.03 43.75 49.29 LSU-Jeanerette 89 55 73 73 0.00 3.23 53.31 49.94 Morgan City 89 59 75 74 0.00 3.02 36.03 52.65 Extreme/Average 89 52 73 74 0.00 3.23 53.31 50.38 9. Southeast Galliano 87 60 73 74 0.00 3.95 49.77 53.97 Houma (91) 53 73 74 0.00 6.05 51.22 52.40 Terrytown 3S 89 59 75 MM 0.00 4.36 63.71 MM.MM Reserve 90 57 74 73 0.00 2.87 50.37 52.71 Extreme/Average 91 53 74 75 0.00 5.21 51.22 52.15 State State Averages 91 42 71 72 0.00 2.83 46.68 46.39 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through October 05, 2008