Agricultural Summary

Rain arrived mid-week, putting a halt to field work across most of the state and leaving row crop planting well behind normal. Spring tillage is 63 percent complete, nearly 2 weeks behind both last year and the 5-year average. There were 3.1 days suitable for fieldwork. The rain boosted already adequate topsoil moisture to 2 percent very short, 7 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 17 percent surplus.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting is 45 percent complete, about 2 weeks behind both last year and the normal pace of 76 percent. The Bootheel is nearing completion at 95 percent, while the slowest pace is in the northeast district, where 20 percent is planted. Significant replanting has put the southwest well behind normal as well. Corn emergence is at 18 percent, 16 days behind last year and 10 days behind normal. Soybean planting was minimal, with the state 3 percent complete, 9 days behind last year and 6 days behind average. Sorghum planting is 9 percent complete, 11 days behind last year and 1 week behind normal. Rice planting progressed 30 points from last week to 54 percent complete, still 11 days behind last year but moving about 1 day ahead of the 5-year average. Rice emergence is at 15 percent, 9 days behind last year and 3 days behind normal. Cotton planting also advanced significantly to 26 percent complete, 4 days behind last year and 1 day behind average. The portion of the winter wheat crop headed is 19 percent, nine days behind last year and 2 days behind average. Wheat condition is rated 25 percent very poor, 39 percent poor, 31 percent fair, and 5 percent good, virtually unchanged from last week. Widespread destruction of damaged wheat fields does not appear likely, although most fields harvested for grain will almost certainly see yield reductions. The true extent of the damage will not be known until harvest. For those not harvesting for grain, various types of damage have caused different remedies, including replacement with corn or soybeans, pasturing livestock, and baling for hay. The first cutting of alfalfa is 7 percent harvested, well ahead of last year and normal, as several producers have cut fields that were severely damaged from the April freeze to allow for new growth. Alfalfa was hit hard and failed to recover in most areas. Other hay cutting is getting underway in a few locations, with 1 percent harvested statewide. Reporters indicate the fescue seed harvest may be very poor.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 13 percent very poor, 26 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 23 percent good, and 3 percent excellent, a moderate improvement over last week. Many areas of the state are still seeing very slow grass growth, but a few central and southern counties have reported fairly robust recoveries in their pastures.

Weather Summary

Average temperatures were above normal throughout the state, generally ranging from 2 to 6 degrees above average. Rainfall averaged 1.52 inches for the week. All districts received at least 1 inch except the southeast with 0.60 inches and the east-central with 0.79. At the high end, the southwest district averaged 2.39 inches and the north-central finished the week at 2.01.