United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Crop Progress & Condition Report Mississippi Field Office, PO Box 980 Jackson, MS 39205-0980 (601) 965-4575 * (601) 965-5622 FAX * www.nass.usda.gov Cooperating with Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Released: April 09, 2012 Week Ending Date: April 08, 2012 Issue CW1512 According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Mississippi, there were 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, April 8, 2012. Mississippi had a wet week with most of the precipitation falling on the lower western half of the state. The added moisture has aided crop conditions, however most producers are hoping for dryer weather next week so that fields can dry out. There have been problems with weeds and insects which are occurring earlier than usual. Soil moisture was rated 78 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus. Crop progress for week ending April 8, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year : average --------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn, planted : 80 66 75 73 Corn, emerged : 57 31 46 50 Hay-Cool Season, harvested : 8 3 2 6 Rice, planted : 36 18 9 9 Rice, emerged : 12 1 3 2 Sorghum, planted : 20 8 2 4 Sorghum, emerged : 7 -- 0 0 Soybeans, planted : 16 8 6 10 Soybeans, emerged : 7 -- 0 3 Watermelons, planted : 43 25 44 43 Winter Wheat, jointing : 96 89 95 86 Winter Wheat, heading : 79 50 32 21 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending April 8, 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Item : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Blueberries : 0 1 6 61 32 Winter Wheat : 0 8 26 52 14 Livestock : 3 7 36 44 10 Pasture : 2 6 19 61 12 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Comments "Not much corn or Grain Sorghum ground left to plant. Scattered rains Thursday halted field work in the northern end of the county. Soybeans have gotten off to a good start and if the sun stays out we may get back to planting by mid week." --Jimbo Burkhalter, Tallahatchie "Most farmers are finishing up burndown herbicide applications and are ready for corn planting. Pastures are greening up with most producers making fertilizer applications." --Patrick Poindexter, Alcorn "Wet soil conditions have slowed pasture spraying and row crop field work. Summer forages and weeds are growing at a rapid rate with all the rain. Some pasture spraying has been accomplished but the wind and showers have been a problem." --Houston Therrell, Rankin "Dryer conditions have helped farmers get back in fields. Cattle and ryegrass situation looks good. The corn is up and growing well. Sunny conditions for the next week should put producers back on schedule. Some ryegrass that will be used for hay is near heading." --Lee Taylor, Lamar "Some planting and field work resumed over the weekend where less precipitation was received in last week's rains. Everyone should be back in the field in some form or fashion by tomorrow. We are all hoping to miss the small chances of rain forecasted for the area throughout the week." --Strider McCrory, Sunflower "Rain fell everyday last week. However, in the areas that didn't get as much rain, farmers were able to get some planting done. Even though farmers had hoped to get more planted than they actually did, the positive note is that the rain helped to activate much needed chemicals. This week, we should be able to finish with corn planting and we will continue planting rice and soybeans." --Laura Giaccaglia, Bolivar "Rains kept growers out of the field most of the weekend. Crops that have been planted look good." --Don Respess, Coahoma "If the forecast holds, we should have the corn planted by the end of next week." --Stephen Winters, Grenada "Rain brought planting to a halt again this past week. Total rainfall amounts ranged from 2 to 3 inches across our area. Growers hope to get in the field on Monday, but looks like it will be Tuesday and maybe even Wednesday before some fields are dry. Corn planting may be about over for a lot of growers after this week, then they will concentrate on soybeans and cotton. We really need a couple of weeks of good planting weather to catch up on lost time from the rains we've had." --Preston Aust, Humphreys "Wet weather last week slowed up the early start we have gotten off to with planting our crops. Most of the corn and rice has been planted and those crops are up and looking good. A good percentage of soybeans has been planted and they are also quickly coming up. A few acres of cotton have also come up." --Jerry Singleton, Leflore "Crops are looking good so far during this spring. Wheat is being sprayed for worms. Rains held up planting during the middle of the week." --Lester Stephens, Washington "Seeing signs of gall on azaleas also seeing other problems with ornamentals and yards." --Ruby D. Rankin, Kemper "Many farmers are busy planting corn and prepping fields for planting in the coming weeks. Winter wheat is looking great across the county." --Reid Nevins, Lowndes "Sunny dry weather has allowed farm work to continue. Some corn is up and growing well. Lots of chicken litter being used to supplement commercial fertilizer. Ryegrass is growing well." --Lee Taylor, Forrest "The wet weather has interrupted field work, however the resulting soil moisture has done well for crops already planted. We are enjoying good growing conditions for grass. Problems with weeds and insects are occurring earlier than usual." --Mitchell Newman, Greene Mississippi Weather Summary for Week Ending April 8, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Air Temperature : Precipitation : :------------------------------------------- Division/Station :Max:Min:Avg:Norm:DFN:One : DFN :Rain:Four : : : : : : :Week: :Days:Weeks: -------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Upper Delta Clarksdale 84 48 67 59 +8 2.29 +1.10 3 5.99 Cleveland 86 47 67 61 +6 1.36 -0.03 4 2.58 Lambert 5E 87 44 67 1.84 +0.71 3 4.61 Tunica 2 86 45 67 59 +8 0.50 -0.83 2 3.23 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 87 44 67 60 +7 1.50 +0.17 3 4.10 2. North-Central Batesville 2SW 87 44 68 58 +10 1.35 +0.09 1 3.90 Hickory Flat 86 38 64 57 +7 0.09 -1.22 2 3.51 Holly Springs 4 87 36 65 56 +9 0.00 -1.29 0 2.61 Independence 1W 83 39 63 57 +6 0.77 -0.37 3 2.94 University 87 43 67 57 +10 1.11 -0.13 3 3.78 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 87 36 65 58 +7 0.66 -0.64 2 3.35 3. Northeast Booneville 83 40 64 57 +7 0.17 -1.09 1 3.62 Corinth City 86 41 66 60 +6 0.20 -1.05 2 3.62 Fulton 3W 84 39 65 60 +5 0.80 -0.49 1 4.61 Tupelo 2 85 45 66 0.23 1 5.32 Verona Exp 86 43 66 58 +8 0.30 -0.98 1 5.33 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 86 39 65 58 +7 0.34 -0.95 1 4.50 4. Lower Delta Belzoni 83 54 69 61 +8 0.84 -0.53 3 4.31 Moorhead 85 48 67 61 +6 1.87 +0.54 3 4.89 Rolling Fork 87 50 69 61 +8 2.03 +0.66 4 5.31 Yazoo City 5NNE 88 51 72 62 +10 1.42 -0.05 3 5.10 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 88 48 69 61 +8 1.54 +0.20 3 4.90 5. Central Canton 85 44 66 62 +4 2.84 +1.45 4 6.94 Forest 3S 86 41 67 61 +6 0.74 -0.71 4 7.09 Kosciusko 84 45 66 59 +7 0.91 -0.50 4 5.60 Winona 5E 83 41 64 56 +8 0.68 -0.69 4 4.84 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 86 41 66 60 +6 1.29 -0.11 4 5.84 6. East-Central Aberdeen 84 33 59 58 +1 0.11 -1.19 1 2.82 Columbus 85 47 68 60 +8 0.16 -1.17 1 3.05 Macon 2E 85 43 66 59 +7 0.37 -1.03 1 4.19 State University 86 48 68 59 +9 0.20 -1.17 1 4.60 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 86 33 65 60 +5 0.21 -1.17 1 3.67 7. Southwest Brookhaven City 84 48 69 61 +8 3.07 +1.60 2 6.69 Crystal Springs 85 48 69 62 +7 3.04 +1.58 3 6.37 Natchez 85 48 68 63 +5 1.27 -0.22 2 5.20 Vicksburg 85 49 69 2.19 2 5.88 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 85 48 69 62 +7 2.39 +0.92 2 5.82 8. South-Central Collins 83 46 67 62 +5 2.10 +0.74 3 7.29 Columbia 87 50 70 63 +7 2.33 +0.89 4 8.13 Monticello 88 47 70 62 +8 2.80 +1.33 3 5.55 Raleigh 85 42 66 2.38 4 7.39 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 88 42 68 63 +5 2.40 +0.98 4 7.09 9. Southeast Hattiesburg 85 52 69 63 +6 1.56 +0.20 4 8.90 Newton Exp 87 43 67 60 +7 0.54 -0.93 3 6.41 Waynesboro 2W 87 51 70 61 +9 0.67 -0.49 3 9.23 -------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 87 43 69 62 +7 0.92 -0.43 3 8.18 State Averages 88 33 67 61 +6 1.27 -0.10 3 5.43