Agricultural Summary

The week was mostly dry, with 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork. Moderate temperatures were present for most of the week, helping to limit stress on row crops in critical reproductive stages. While state-wide crop and pasture conditions remained stable from last week, reporters across the three northern districts as well as the east-central and southeast regions indicate the need for rain to replenish soil moisture. Topsoil moisture fell 12 points from last week in the adequate and surplus categories to 9 percent very short, 29 percent short, 57 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Serious damage is evident over much of Bates and Vernon counties from flooding. Flood waters have yet to recede on some fields, while other bottomlands have silt, sand, brush, and debris scattered on them. Roads, terraces, waterways, dikes, and fencing were washed out in many areas. Considerable acreages of corn, soybeans, and wheat were lost.

Field Crops Report

The corn crop is 77 percent silked, even with average, while 18 percent is in dough stage, slightly behind normal. The crop is rated 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 17 percent excellent, stable from last week. Soybean emergence is at 96 percent. Reporters in west-central and southwest areas indicate that farmers with flooded fields have given up on planting double-crop soybeans, resulting in less double-crop acreage than normal. Thirty-five percent of soybeans are blooming, while 7 percent are setting pods, both on pace with the 5-year averages. Soybean condition is rated 3 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 8 percent excellent. Sorghum heading is at 28 percent, about 2 to 3 days ahead of last year and normal. One percent is turning color, mostly in the east-central district. Sorghum condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Rice heading is at 9 percent, slightly behind normal. Rice condition is rated 2 percent poor, 13 percent fair, 61 percent good, and 24 percent excellent. Cotton squaring is at 94 percent, about 1 week ahead of both last year and average. Fifty percent is setting bolls, 4 days ahead of average. Cotton condition is rated 4 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Wheat harvest is 92 percent complete compared with 99 percent as normal. Farmers in the flooded areas of the west-central district opted to burn some fields because of severe lodging and quality deterioration. Second-cutting alfalfa is 76 percent harvested, 1 week behind normal, while the third cutting is 7 percent done, 4 days behind normal. Other hay is 87 percent cut, 13 days behind last year and 8 days behind average.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 5 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 37 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Deteriorating pasture conditions and short hay yields in the northwest, northeast, and southeast districts are causing livestock producers to search out extra hay acres to cut or begin supplemental feeding.

Weather Summary

Temperatures averaged 2 to 5 degrees below normal in most areas, with average high temperatures in the mid- to upper- 80’s throughout the state. Rainfall averaged 0.34 inches. The north-central received the most at 0.71 inches. All other districts received about one-half inch or less.