United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service Mississippi Crop Progress & Condition Report Week Ending: July 8, 2012 Released: July 9, 2012 CW2712 According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Mississippi, there were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, July 08, 2012. Some areas received showers over the weekend which aided many non- irrigated crops; however, most farmers are still hoping for some rain. Pastures and hay fields are in need of moisture to generate some growth. Some producers are already feeding hay to their livestock. Soil moisture was rated 37 percent very short, 32 percent short, and 31 percent adequate. Crop progress for week ending July 8, 2012 --------------------------------------------------------------------- : This : Last : Last : 5-year Crop : week : week : year : average --------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn, silked : 99 98 97 98 Corn, dough : 79 72 68 71 Corn, dent : 33 15 20 26 Cotton, squaring : 94 87 84 88 Cotton, setting bolls : 41 28 20 32 Hay-Warm Season, harvested : 60 50 54 52 Peanuts, pegging : 86 60 66 57 Rice, headed : 43 20 13 13 Sorghum, heading : 80 60 41 52 Sorghum, coloring : 9 3 6 5 Soybeans, blooming : 90 79 71 81 Soybeans, setting pods : 63 27 11 43 Sweet Potatoes, planted : 100 99 97 97 Watermelons, harvested : 65 53 54 65 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop condition for week ending July 8, 2012 ------------------------------------------------------------------- : Very : : : : Item : poor : Poor : Fair : Good :Excellent ------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Corn : 4 5 17 44 30 Cotton : 1 5 24 53 17 Hay : 8 25 53 13 1 Livestock : 0 12 46 37 5 Pasture : 12 21 45 20 2 Peanuts : 0 8 36 42 14 Rice : 1 7 14 54 24 Sorghum : 2 11 43 30 14 Soybeans : 2 8 19 46 25 Sweet Potatoes : 0 21 50 22 7 ------------------------------------------------------------------ Comments "Dry land corn and soybeans are firing up from the drought. Cotton is shedding fruit but since it is a desert plant, it is holding up fairly considering the temperatures without moisture we've been facing now for over a month. Hay is not growing back after being cut as it should be. We need a good rain." --Jimbo Burkhalter, Tallahatchie "Scattered showers moved into the area over the weekend. Some areas were fortunate to receive showers. More showers and thunderstorms, along with cooler temps, are in the forecast for the upcoming week. Early planted corn acres are really close to black layer, cotton is blooming and setting bolls, and soybeans are setting and filling pods. Overall, we are still short on moisture and some timely rains this week could really help to keep this crop on the track to good yields." --Preston Aust, Humphreys "The lack of rain is taking its toll on hay fields and pasture land. There is a lot of brown grass in pastures due to the absence of moisture. Most hay producers have parked their equipment and are waiting on some rain to provide re-growth in order to get another cutting of hay." --Houston Therrell, Rankin "Dry weather is taking its toll on non-irrigated crops. Early planted corn has reached physiological maturity and looks like it will make excellent yields." --Jerry Singleton, Leflore "Soybeans have received much needed rain and are allowing us to finish planting. Early beans look good but are short. Pod set is good on those that are blooming. Corn has pollinated well and has medium to large ear size but drought and heat may have affected kernel size. We are currently not at black layer but not far off from it and will start harvest the end of July." --Randy Smith, Covington "Finally some rain fell but much of the corn has passed pollination stage. Insects pressure is still below normal." --Bill Burdine, Chickasaw "Moisture is the main concern. June saw only 1.3 inches. We were 4 inches short with the last rain in June falling on the 11th. We missed the 4th of July rain. Hopefully we will get some over the weekend." --Stephen Winters, Grenada "Much needed rains were welcomed this weekend, giving farmers some much needed relief. Most crops are already looking better, but many believe it could be too late for some." --Tarah Ferguson, Tate "Excessive heat and very dry conditions have virtually stopped all growth of pastures and hay fields. Adequate hay supplies for the winter are in doubt. Some producers are feeding hay and some producers are considering selling down the herd due to poor prospects of available grazing." --Mike Howell, Lee "With rain in the forecast for the next ten days to two weeks, producers are hoping to catch some much needed moisture from above. Our earliest planted irrigated corn is receiving its last watering." --Strider McCrory, Sunflower "Rains over the weekend have helped the crops. We had rains over most of the county. The temperature has eased up some as the result of the rain." --Lester Stephens, Washington "Some localities have received showers that will reduce drought injury, however the general rains that we need have still not arrived." --Ernest Flint, Jr., Attala "The county received an average of 1.5" much needed rain last week. ." --Juli Hughes, Choctaw "Scattered rainfall has helped, but we are still dry." --Anita Webb, Scott "Beef producers are waiting for a break in the rain to bale hay. There is a chance of rain nearly every day this week. Hay is very short and hard to bale. Dry land corn is suffering. Yards and gardens are in bad shape unless extra efforts have been made to water them. Fruit trees and shade trees need a good rain also." --Lee Taylor, Lamar "Scattered rains this week have helped our low moisture situation. Some areas have gotten just over an inch this week. We are still way behind and could use some more rain. Hay that is being harvested is short stemmed and hard to bale. Cotton and peanuts are responding to moisture. Gardens have just about quit producing due to high temperatures that kill the pollen." --Lee Taylor, Forrest "Dry weather continues to be a challenge. We have received a few spotted showers but not enough to meet the moisture needs." --Amanda Walker, Lawrence "Scattered showers were a blessing to those that got it last week. Much of the early dry-land corn is drying down now with expected low yields. Later planted corn still looks pretty optimistic. Hay production has been low with lack of rain, but forecast looks very good for the next ten days." --Charlie Bush, Simpson "Most of the county got good rain this weekend." --Don Respess, Quitman "Scattered showers this weekend were a welcomed relief for those producers that were lucky enough to receive any. Reports from across the county range from 0 inches in the northwest portion of the county to almost 2 inches in the southeast portion of the county. The forecast for the next 3 days looks promising." --Anthony Bland, Tunica Mississippi Weather Summary for Week Ending July 8, 2012 -------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Air Temperature : Precipitation : :------------------------------------------- Division/Station :Max:Min:Avg:Norm:DFN:One : DFN :Rain:Four : : : : : : :Week: :Days:Weeks: --------------------------------------------------------------- Upper Delta : Clarksdale : 97 72 84 82 2 0.12 -0.94 2 1.98 Cleveland : 98 72 85 83 2 0.49 -0.55 1 7.34 Lambert 5E :104 69 87 0.17 -0.77 1 1.89 Extreme/Average :104 69 85 82 3 0.26 -0.79 1 3.74 North-Central : Batesville 2SW :101 71 85 80 5 0.32 -0.75 2 0.34 Hickory Flat :101 64 84 78 6 0.53 -0.56 2 1.10 Holly Springs 4 :101 63 85 79 6 0.24 -0.88 2 1.21 Independence 1W : 98 67 84 80 4 0.83 -0.15 2 1.33 University :101 66 85 80 5 0.75 -0.23 2 0.88 Extreme/Average :101 63 84 80 4 0.53 -0.52 2 1.13 Northeast : Fulton 3W :100 66 83 81 2 0.08 -0.95 1 1.22 Booneville :101 66 84 79 5 0.15 -0.83 2 0.79 Tupelo 2 :100 70 85 0.33 0.00 1 0.98 Corinth City :101 67 86 81 5 0.22 -0.76 2 2.09 Extreme/Average :101 66 84 80 4 0.20 -0.83 2 1.27 Lower Delta : Moorhead : 96 71 84 82 2 1.10 -0.04 2 5.03 Rolling Fork : 98 72 85 82 3 0.06 -0.92 1 2.36 Yazoo City 5NNE : 99 72 86 82 4 0.00 -0.93 0 2.03 Extreme/Average : 99 71 85 82 3 0.39 -0.66 1 3.14 Central : Canton : 99 69 83 82 1 0.80 -0.02 1 1.76 Forest 3S : 98 66 81 80 1 0.95 -0.29 3 5.89 Kosciusko : 99 70 84 81 3 0.62 -0.56 2 2.56 Winona 5E : 99 66 81 77 4 0.17 -0.88 2 1.00 Extreme/Average : 99 66 82 80 2 0.64 -0.41 2 2.80 East-Central : Aberdeen :101 69 84 80 4 0.89 -0.05 2 1.01 Columbus :102 70 85 81 4 1.00 -0.06 1 1.00 Macon 2E : 99 68 83 81 2 0.31 -0.77 2 1.57 State University:100 70 85 81 4 3.01 2.02 2 5.03 Extreme/Average :102 68 84 80 4 1.30 0.25 2 2.15 Southwest : Crystal Springs :100 70 84 81 3 0.55 -0.57 2 1.37 Natchez : 96 66 82 81 1 0.25 -0.71 1 2.45 Vicksburg : 97 71 84 0.00 0.00 0 2.49 Extreme/Average :100 66 83 81 2 0.27 -0.78 1 2.10 South-Central : Collins : 99 68 83 80 3 0.51 -0.56 2 2.01 Columbia : 99 69 84 81 3 0.82 -0.44 4 2.10 Monticello : 69 81 0.06 -0.99 1 0.67 Raleigh : 97 65 80 1.34 0.00 3 2.51 Extreme/Average : 99 65 82 81 1 0.68 -0.51 3 1.82 Southeast : Hattiesburg : 99 68 84 81 3 2.30 1.08 2 3.46 Laurel : 81 0.05 -1.13 1 1.85 Newton Exp :100 68 84 80 4 0.02 -1.07 2 2.95 Waynesboro :103 68 85 80 5 0.13 -1.08 2 1.35 Extreme/Average :103 68 84 81 3 0.63 -0.59 2 2.40 : State Average :104 63 84 81 3 0.57 -0.51 2 2.26 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ DFN = Departure from Normal.