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: October 9, 2007 Volume 07 No. 32 Days suitable for fieldwork: 6.3 Soil moisture supplies: 2% very short, 23% short, 70% adequate and 5% surplus Field Crops Report Most of the state experienced dry conditions last week. Cotton producers were busy harvesting. Rice farmers completed harvesting their fields. Sorghum harvest neared completion, with 99 percent harvested. Some soybean producers were applying desiccant to their crops in preparation for harvest. Soybean harvest reached 85 percent, well ahead of the 5 year average of 67 percent. Some sugarcane producers were harvesting, with mill reports indicating that sugar recovery was excellent. Fruits, Vegetables and Specialty Crops Vegetable producers were working fall crops. Citrus producers were busy spraying for insects. Livestock, Pasture and Range Report Cattlemen finished up the second cutting of hay and were planting ryegrass. Cattlemen were also marketing spring born calves. PERCENT OF PROGRESS CROP STAGE Current Week Last Week 2006 5 YR AVG Cotton Bolls Opening 99 97 100 98 Harvested 42 15 75 57 Hay Second Cutting 100 99 100 99 Pecans Harvested 10 4 4 4 Rice Harvested 100 99 100 98 Sorghum Harvested 99 98 100 98 Soybeans Turning Color 100 98 100 96 Dropping Leaves 98 92 96 87 Harvested 85 65 82 67 Sugarcane Planted 98 95 96 98 Harvested 4 1 4 7 Sweet Potatoes Harvested 46 35 56 50 CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES ITEM VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Cotton 0 8 25 65 2 Sugarcane 0 6 31 43 20 Livestock 0 2 31 62 5 Vegetables 5 17 53 24 1 Pasture 0 13 43 40 4 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 10/01/07 TO 10/07/07 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVG NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 91 65 79 70 0.00 1.98 38.43 38.63 Minden 91 64 79 69 0.00 1.06 44.35 41.72 Mooringsport 91 61 79 MM 0.00 0.25 41.63 35.10 Extreme/Average 91 61 79 70 0.00 1.10 41.47 39.66 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun (93) 59 78 70 0.00 1.59 34.98 42.11 Homer/Hill Farm 90 62 78 68 0.00 1.56 37.94 42.14 ULM-Monroe 90 64 78 70 0.00 3.15 31.85 43.66 Colmubia Lock 91 62 77 MM 0.00 3.25 36.53 45.15 Extreme/Average 93 59 78 69 0.00 2.39 35.33 43.05 3. Northeast Lake Providence 90 63 77 70 0.00 2.93 36.04 44.37 LSU-St Joseph 93 61 79 71 0.16 4.85 42.38 43.02 LSU-Winnsboro 90 64 78 70 0.00 4.01 43.22 42.41 Tallulah 90 64 78 69 0.00 1.91 31.50 44.37 Extreme/Average 93 61 78 70 0.04 3.43 40.55 43.49 4. West-Central Leesville 91 (56) 76 70 0.02 3.66 37.21 43.47 LSU-Rosepine 89 61 78 71 0.16 6.01 45.58 44.61 Natchitoches 90 60 77 71 0.00 0.79 30.21 41.10 Extreme/Average 91 56 77 70 0.06 3.49 37.67 42.33 5. Central Alexandria 90 60 77 72 0.00 3.82 39.67 45.46 Brusly 88 57 76 71 0.03 4.17 46.46 49.82 Bunkie 90 59 78 71 0.00 3.16 40.96 46.69 LSU-Alexandria 92 57 78 71 0.04 4.53 43.13 44.26 Extreme/Average 92 57 77 72 0.02 3.92 43.52 46.13 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW 88 59 77 MM 0.18 1.72 27.83 MM.MM LSU-Baton Rouge 89 58 78 72 0.37 3.75 43.67 48.70 LSU-Clinton 87 58 73 71 0.33 3.73 35.35 49.40 LSU-Hammond 89 57 76 72 0.21 2.12 38.39 51.10 Slidell 88 60 77 73 0.68 1.71 36.78 50.50 Extreme/Average 89 57 77 72 0.36 2.33 36.67 51.06 7. Southwest De Ridder 89 62 79 72 0.32 8.92 54.79 46.25 Jennings 91 63 79 73 0.02 5.46 51.44 46.94 LSU-Crowley 92 61 80 73 0.00 4.24 51.34 46.90 Extreme/Average 92 61 79 73 0.11 6.21 52.52 47.70 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 87 60 77 73 0.31 3.48 44.12 49.42 LSU-Jeanerette 91 62 78 72 0.65 5.12 49.37 50.07 Morgan City 89 68 79 74 1.06 3.43 39.96 52.78 Extreme/Average 91 60 78 73 0.67 4.01 44.48 50.51 9. Southeast Galliano 86 67 79 73 0.47 3.86 38.80 54.10 Houma 90 61 79 74 0.48 4.51 46.09 52.51 Terrytown 3S 89 66 78 MM 0.54 2.48 48.12 MM.MM Reserve 89 63 78 73 0.77 8.08 61.25 52.82 Extreme/Average 90 61 78 74 0.57 4.73 48.57 52.27 State State Averages 93 56 78 72 0.19 3.72 42.96 46.52 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through October 7, 2007