Agricultural Summary

Row crops are generally making normal progress but they are beginning to show the effects of the moisture shortage in many areas. Rain is needed soon to maintain growth and development of crops and pastures. Topsoil moisture supplies are rated at 17 percent very short, 45 percent short and 38 percent adequate, with nearly all areas showing sizable declines from a week earlier. There were 6.4 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Forty-eight percent of the corn is silked, 1 day ahead of a year earlier and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Progress of silking ranges from 11 percent in the northwest district to 87 percent in the southeast district. Condition of the crop is rated as 3 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 53 percent good and 8 percent excellent, down moderately from a week earlier. More moisture is needed in most areas to ensure thorough pollination of corn as well as continued growth and development. Twelve percent of the soybeans are blooming, 3 days behind last year but 3 days ahead of the 9 percent average. Condition of the bean crop also fell moderately from last week to 3 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 49 percent good and 6 percent excellent. Sorghum heading is at 6 percent, just slightly ahead of both last year and average. Condition of the crop is rated 4 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 7 percent excellent, a minor decline from a week earlier. One percent of the rice crop is headed, similar to the normal schedule. Rice condition shows a minor improvement to 1 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 58 percent good and 21 percent excellent. Sixty-one percent of the cotton is squaring, a day or 2 behind both last year and average, while 3 percent has begun setting bolls, several days behind average. Cotton condition is rated 10 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 49 percent good and 3 percent excellent, similar to a week ago. The winter wheat harvest is 93 percent complete, 1 day ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal, with most of the wheat remaining to be harvested being in the northern third of the State. Sixty-eight percent of the second cutting of alfalfa and 87 percent of other hay have been cut, both similar to last year but nearly a week ahead of the 5-year average.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 13 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 39 percent fair and 20 percent good, a significant decline from a week earlier. Reporters indicate that pasture growth has been slowed by the hot, dry weather.

Weather Summary

Temperatures over the State for the week averaged from 3 degrees below normal to 3 degrees above normal, with many locations reporting extreme highs in the upper 90’s. Rainfall averaged 0.16 inch Statewide, with amounts by area ranging from zero in the southwest district to 0.61 inch in the northeast. Only a few counties in the northeast district received as much as an inch or more.