Agricultural Summary

Another week of wet weather continued to limit spring planting. The south-central part of Missouri experienced well below normal temperatures that resulted in frost in low lying areas. Warmer weather is urgently needed to improve growing conditions. Some reporters in the central part of the State noted that the planted corn is suffering from cool temperatures. The severe weather destroyed some corn and strawberries in Newton County, and some livestock were lost along with dairy barns and poultry buildings. Spring tillage, at 42 percent complete, is over a month behind both last year and normal. Topsoil moisture rates 47 percent adequate and 53 surplus. There were 2.5 days suitable for fieldwork statewide while the southeast region experienced their best week of the year with 4.2 days suitable.

Field Crops Report

Thirty-four percent of intended corn acres are planted, over two weeks behind last year and nearly four weeks behind normal. Growers were able to plant a fraction of their corn acres, as drier fields are needed before the majority of the corn can be planted. Corn emergence is at 15 percent, 14 days behind last year and 22 days behind normal. Soybean planting advanced 3 percentage points over last week to 5 percent complete, 8 days behind last year and 14 days behind normal. Rice planting is 69 percent complete, 5 days behind last year and 7 days behind normal, while emergence is at 25 percent complete, 9 days behind last year and 11 days behind normal. Cotton planting continued its rapid advance to 53 percent complete, 6 days behind last year and 3 days behind normal. Sorghum planting is 11 percent complete, about a week behind last year and more than two weeks behind normal. Winter wheat condition for the State is rated 5 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 43 percent good, and 4 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from last week. Thirty-four percent of the winter wheat crop has headed, a week behind last year and 9 days behind normal. Progress jumped 48 points in the Bootheel from last week to 77 percent complete. The first cutting of alfalfa is 3 percent harvested, more than two weeks behind last year and 9 days behind normal.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Pasture growth has been slowed by the cool, wet weather.

Weather Summary

Temperatures averaged 1 to 5 degrees below normal for the week. The state averaged 2.02 inches of rainfall, ranging from 0.80 inches in the southeast district to 3.27 inches in the southwest.