Agricultural Summary

With 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork, farmers made good progress in row crop planting, nearly catching the normal pace for corn and soybeans and advancing to 91 percent complete with spring tillage, the same as normal. However, a few areas have experienced setbacks. Some farmland especially in the northwest district that was flooded in early May received additional rain during the past week, further delaying corn replanting as well as planting of soybeans and milo. A few far eastern counties have the opposite problem, as topsoil dryness has temporarily halted soybean planting and emergence; soils that are too dry near the surface but too wet and gummy underneath are presenting farmers with challenging conditions for planting. The army worm infestation of hay and wheat fields has been mostly contained, with heavy insecticide spraying during the past week limiting the damage. Topsoil moisture rates 3 percent very short, 15 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus, a moderate drop in the adequate to surplus ratings. Most of the decline is due to dryness developing in the Bootheel, where 67 percent of soils are rated short to very short compared to 22 percent last week.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting is 93 percent complete, 3 days behind normal. Emergence is at 79 percent, 18 days behind last year and 9 days behind the 88 percent average. Corn condition rates 4 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 9 percent excellent, up 1 point in good to excellent over last week and identical to last year’s good to excellent rating at this time. Soybean planting ended the week at 55 percent complete, 5 days behind last year and slightly behind the normal pace of 57 percent. Soybeans are 32 percent emerged, about 2 days behind last year and marginally behind the 5-year average of 35 percent. Sorghum planting is 51 percent complete, trailing last year by 10 days and normal by 6 days. In the Bootheel, rice planting has virtually finished, about 1 week ahead of normal, while emergence of 95 percent is 10 days ahead of average. Rice condition rates 5 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 67 percent good, and 1 percent excellent, a moderate drop from last week. Cotton planting was completed during the week, 1 week ahead of last year and normal. The earliest cotton has just begun squaring. Heading of the winter wheat crop is nearly complete, while 41 percent is turning color, 3 days behind last year but slightly ahead of average. Most districts are below 20 percent turning color, but the Bootheel, a major wheat district, is at 93 percent. Wheat condition is rated 22 percent very poor, 34 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 10 percent good, and 1 percent excellent, nearly the same as last week. The first cutting of alfalfa is 52 percent harvested, 4 days behind last year but even with normal. Other hay is 29 percent cut, 2 days behind last year but 3 days ahead of average. Reports from throughout the state have consistently indicated fescue and alfalfa yields below normal. The April freeze and army worms have been the primary causes, reducing yields by up to 50 percent in the worst fields.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 5 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 46 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 5 percent excellent, stable from last week.

Weather Summary

Temperatures averaged 2 to 4 degrees above normal over most of the state, although a few areas of the Bootheel were 5 to 7 degrees above average. Rainfall averaged 0.75 inches. All districts saw at least one-half inch except the southeast at 0.06 and the west-central at 0.28. The northwest received significantly more, with 1.28 inches.