Agricultural Summary

Farmers made steady progress in corn harvest during the week, while waiting on soybean and milo crops that are maturing somewhat behind last year’s pace. Those that have finished corn harvest have just started to plant winter wheat. Rice harvest progressed ahead of schedule in the Bootheel, but cotton harvest has yet to begin. A mostly dry week left topsoil moisture supplies slightly down from last week to 24 percent very short, 32 percent short, 41 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. There were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Corn denting is virtually complete, while 81 percent of the crop is mature, 4 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the 5-year average of 71 percent. Harvest is 31 percent complete, an advance of 10 percentage points over last week and a few days ahead of last year and normal. Of the major crop areas, harvest is ahead of last year in the Bootheel, but wet weather has slowed drydown in the three northern districts, putting progress behind last year. Producers are eager to get into fields due to concerns about stalk condition. Stalk rot is showing up in areas that have been wet the past few weeks, while other areas that had excessive dryness this summer are seeing brittle stalks. Corn condition rates 6 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 43 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. Soybeans turning color is at 41 percent, 3 days behind last year but 1 day ahead of normal. Eleven percent is dropping leaves, 3 days behind last year and 2 days behind normal. Condition of the bean crop rates 7 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 36 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, an improvement of 3 points in good to excellent from last week. Eighty-eight percent of the sorghum crop is turning color, 1 day behind last year but 3 days ahead of normal. Sorghum mature is at 44 percent, 3 days behind last year but slightly ahead of average. Thirteen percent of the sorghum crop is harvested, 1 point above last year and normal. Sorghum condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Rice harvest is 15 percent complete, 1 week ahead of last year and over 4 days ahead of normal. Rice condition is rated 2 percent poor, 9 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 33 percent excellent. Cotton took advantage of a dry week, with the portion of the crop opening bolls moving ahead 29 points from last week to 55 percent, at least 5 days ahead of last year and normal. Condition of the crop is 5 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 67 percent good, and 6 percent excellent.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 36 percent very poor, 26 percent poor, 22 percent fair, 14 percent good, and 2 percent excellent. The current rating is 2 points better than last week in good to excellent, but most of the gain is attributable to a significant improvement in the northwest district. Fall pasture growth has been minimal especially in the southwest district, while the west-central, central, and southwest districts remain critically short of livestock water supplies.

Weather Summary

It was another cool week throughout the State, as temperatures were 3 to 7 degrees below average, depending on location. A dry week resulted in average rainfall of 0.16 inches on a statewide basis. The northwest district received the most at 0.66 inches, but all other districts averaged less than one-third inch.