Agricultural Summary

Row crop harvesting resumed during the week as soils slowly dried following two weeks of rainy weather. Harvest is mostly on schedule except in the southeast, where cotton and soybean harvest have been persistently delayed by showers and overcast skies. Topsoil moisture supply is rated 17 percent very short, 27 percent short, 49 percent adequate, and 7 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supply is at 32 percent very short, 37 percent short, 30 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Only the northwest and southeast districts have a majority of soils rated adequate to surplus in subsoil moisture. Other districts, particularly the northeast, west-central, central, east-central, and southwest, have significant concerns about soil moisture and livestock water levels going into winter. There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Corn harvest is 95 percent complete, slightly behind last year but 5 days ahead of normal. Most of the corn left in the field is in the northwest district, where harvest is 84 percent done. Soybean harvest advanced 14 points over last week to 85 percent complete, 4 days behind last year but 4 days ahead of the five-year average. The north-central, northeast, central, and east-central districts are over 90 percent complete, but the west-central at 79 and southeast at 71 have fallen behind last year’s pace. Ninety-two percent of the sorghum crop has been harvested, 1 day ahead of last year and 1 week ahead of normal. Cotton harvesting, at 64 percent complete, has fallen 3 weeks behind last year and 10 days behind the 5-year average. Winter wheat seeding is 84 percent complete, 6 days behind last year but 5 days ahead of average. Wheat emergence of 61 percent is 4 days behind last year but 1 day ahead of normal. Condition of the crop is rated 8 percent poor, 44 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 1 percent excellent, a slight deterioration from last week.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is reported as 37 percent very poor, 20 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 17 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Hay supply is rated 26 percent very short, 28 percent short, 44 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. Stock water supply is rated 33 percent very short, 29 percent short, and 38 percent adequate. The west-central, central, and southwest districts are critically short of stock water and hay supply for winter. Some producers in those areas are reducing herd sizes due to water and feed shortages.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were below normal throughout the State, ranging from 3 degrees below average in the northwest to 9 degrees below average in south-central counties. Rainfall was light during the week, averaging 0.25 inches. Precipitation was mostly confined to the southern part of the State, where the three southern districts each averaged over one-half inch. Northern counties received little to no rainfall.