Agricultural Summary

Cool, wet weather hampered fieldwork and hindered crop growth although open weather towards the end of the week allowed some corn planting on upland soils and alfalfa hay harvesting. The southern half of the state was mostly 6 to 7 degrees below normal while the northern part was 3 to 4 degrees cooler than usual. Rainfall was generally greater in the cooler areas. Topsoil moisture improved to 73 percent adequate and 27 surplus. Spring tillage, at 55 percent complete, is 5 weeks behind normal and over 3 weeks behind a year ago. There were 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Corn planted, while advancing to 55 percent planted, remained over two weeks behind last year and nearly four weeks behind normal. Most progress was made in the northwest, north-central and central districts where warmer, drier conditions prevailed. Corn emergence, at 27 percent, is 2 weeks behind last year and 24 days behind normal. The low temperatures and wet weather have not been beneficial for the young corn plants. Soybean planting reached 12 percent complete, 8 days behind last year and 13 days behind normal. Most progress was made in the major soybean production areas of the southeast and northwest districts. Rice planting is 85 percent complete, about 6 days behind last year and normal. Emergence of the rice crop, at 58 percent complete, is approximately 8 days behind last year and normal. Rice condition was reported as 7 percent poor, 14 percent fair and 79 percent good. Cotton planting again progressed rapidly, reaching 78 percent completion, about normal for this date but still nearly a week behind last year. Sorghum planting made good progress, mostly in the Bootheel, reaching 20 percent complete statewide, 4 days behind last year and two weeks behind normal. Winter wheat condition for the State is rated 6 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 39 percent good and 5 percent excellent, a slight decline from last week, especially in the good category. Fifty-seven percent of the winter wheat crop has headed, just over a week behind last year and 10 days behind normal. Heading neared completion in the Bootheel but lags far behind last year in the northern third of the state. The first cutting of alfalfa is 12 percent harvested, 12 days behind last year and a week behind normal. Other hay is 3 percent cut, 5 days behind normal and 11 days behind last year.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 52 percent good and 4 percent excellent, nearly the same as last week. The ongoing cool weather continues to limit pasture growth.

Weather Summary

Temperatures averaged 3 to 7 degrees below normal for the week. The state averaged 0.65 of an inch of rainfall, ranging from 0.06 of an inch in the northwest district to 1.36 inches in the south-central part of the state.