la-crop-weather State Louisiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date July 31, 2005 Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.8 Soil moisture supplies: 9% very short, 36% short, 51% adequate and 4% surplus Field Crops Report Isolated showers were received across the state last week. Soil moisture showed some improvement from last week, but the previous dry conditions have caused damage to most crops. Corn producers continued preparing for harvest, which should begin within the next few weeks. Rice producers began harvesting early varieties of rice in the southern portion of the state, with reports of average yields. Rice and soybean producers were applying fungicides and insecticides to some fields. Sugarcane producers continued preparing land for planting, scouting for borers and spraying fields as needed. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Harvesting of peaches edged closer to completion. Citrus producers were spraying for whiteflies and aphids. Vegetable producers were working crops. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Cattlemen were cutting hay, fertilizing pastures and scouting for armyworms. They were also working livestock, weaning and marketing calves. Pasture conditions improved last week, but more rain was needed. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2005 Week 2004 5 YR AVG Corn Dough Stage 99 94 100 98 Mature 70 49 76 72 Cotton Setting Bolls 94 84 98 98 Hay Second Cutting 56 35 50 58 Peaches Harvested 98 94 90 91 Rice Headed 84 80 84 86 Ripe 18 4 39 47 Harvested 4 0 18 25 Sorghum Headed 94 77 98 97 Turning Color 61 26 66 69 Ripe 24 0 14 30 Soybeans Blooming 91 85 94 88 Setting Pods 80 74 69 72 Turning Color 12 6 6 4 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 5 17 30 42 6 Cotton 2 10 32 49 7 Rice 0 1 40 44 15 Sorghum 0 12 36 49 3 Soybeans 2 17 29 46 6 Sugarcane 0 13 39 43 5 Livestock 1 10 43 42 4 Vegetables 14 15 44 26 1 Pasture 7 22 46 24 1 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 07/25/05 TO 07/31/05 AIR PRECIPITATION 4 INCH SOIL TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO TEMPERATURE MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM MAX MIN AVE 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 98 64 83 83 0.00 0.99 21.62 31.76 Minden 99 64 82 82 0.53 1.41 22.01 34.41 Mooringsport 97 68 83 MM 1.91 2.20 19.52 28.10 Extreme/Average 99 64 83 83 0.81 1.53 20.57 32.46 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 98 66 82 83 0.20 3.04 28.42 34.70 Homer/Hill Farm 96 64 82 82 2.20 5.91 29.10 34.40 ULM-Monroe (101) 65 83 84 0.30 2.58 24.86 36.46 Winnfield 95 66 82 82 0.01 3.49 28.31 36.72 Extreme/Average 101 64 82 83 0.68 3.76 27.67 35.42 3. Northeast Lake Providence 97 69 83 83 0.07 1.68 26.86 37.68 LSU-St Joseph 100 (60) 83 83 0.00 3.50 25.37 36.04 MM MM MM LSU-Winnsboro 99 72 85 83 0.20 1.99 29.52 35.73 Tallulah 96 73 83 82 0.06 5.08 32.36 37.37 Extreme/Average 100 60 83 83 0.08 3.06 28.53 36.65 MM MM MM 4. West-Central Leesville 95 68 82 82 1.15 4.57 28.00 34.80 LSU-Rosepine 97 67 83 82 0.08 2.53 23.88 35.36 MM MM MM Natchitoches 97 64 84 84 0.00 1.23 20.87 33.67 Extreme/Average 97 64 83 83 0.41 2.78 20.87 34.30 MM MM MM 5. Central Alexandria 97 73 85 84 0.05 3.05 22.63 36.12 Brusly MM MM MM 82 M.MM M.MM MM.MM MM.MM Bunkie 96 70 83 83 0.06 4.66 32.96 37.81 LSU-Alexandria 98 67 82 82 0.20 4.19 23.94 34.88 MM MM MM Extreme/Average 98 67 83 83 0.10 3.97 26.51 36.73 MM MM MM 6. East-Central Bogalusa 98 73 84 82 0.23 4.90 31.98 40.66 LSU-Baton Rouge 96 73 85 82 0.51 3.76 25.51 37.62 LSU-Clinton 95 72 83 81 0.41 4.40 29.35 38.89 LSU-Hammond 99 71 84 82 0.86 5.75 31.24 39.16 MM MM MM Slidell 95 73 83 82 3.48 12.85 48.64 38.73 Extreme/Average 99 71 84 82 1.10 6.33 33.34 39.96 MM MM MM 7. Southwest De Ridder 94 70 83 83 0.00 3.54 23.74 36.49 Jennings 95 70 83 82 0.14 4.15 27.70 35.30 MM MM MM LSU-Crowley 94 71 84 83 0.71 3.72 31.16 36.03 MM MM MM Extreme/Average 95 70 84 83 0.28 3.80 29.43 36.01 MM MM MM 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 95 74 84 82 2.89 5.86 30.20 37.28 LSU-Jeanerette 96 72 83 82 0.99 1.76 26.43 37.14 Morgan City 94 71 83 82 2.45 4.06 29.92 37.91 Extreme/Average 96 71 83 83 2.11 3.89 28.85 37.65 9. Southeast Galliano 94 75 84 82 1.62 12.07 49.48 39.66 Houma 97 74 86 83 1.23 4.37 44.39 38.60 MM MM MM NO Audubon Park 100 76 87 84 1.60 3.88 40.25 38.78 Reserve 97 75 85 82 0.00 3.57 36.28 40.88 Extreme/Average 100 74 85 83 1.07 7.82 42.88 38.90 MM MM MM State State Averages 101 60 83 83 0.65 4.27 29.32 36.58 MM MM MM M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through July 31, 2005