Agricultural Summary

While several counties experienced some flooding along the Mississippi River, rains were welcomed in the Bootheel. Farmers took advantage of breaks in the rains to plant corn and soybeans. Some farmers in Pike County worked all night to finish planting crops while a few cut and baled wheat to try to salvage it from expected flood waters. Rain, hail and high winds were reported in Polk and Franklin counties. State-wide, topsoil moisture rates 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 60 percent adequate, and 32 percent surplus, a decline of 19 points in the surplus category from last week. The north-central and northeast districts show the largest declines in surplus amounts while the central district surplus amount increased. Spring tillage is 87 percent complete, a month behind a year ago and over 5 weeks behind normal. There were 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Corn planted is 95 percent complete for the State, over 3 weeks behind last year and nearly a month behind normal. Corn emergence is 85 percent complete, also 3 weeks behind last year and a month behind normal. The cooler, wet weather has limited crop growth. Corn is just beginning to silk in the southeast district. Last year at this time 17 percent of the corn had silked statewide and was 64 percent silked in the Bootheel. Corn condition rates 2 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 42 percent fair, 37 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Soybean planting is 66 percent complete, 19 days behind last year and 24 days behind normal. The southwest district continues to wait on wheat harvest and is 17 percent planted. State-wide emergence is at 52 percent, 17 days behind last year and 20 days behind normal. Blooming has begun in the southeast and west-central districts. Soybean condition is 2 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 53 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 3 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from a week earlier. Rice condition was reported as 2 percent poor, 13 percent fair, 68 percent good, and 17 percent excellent. Cotton squaring is at 16 percent, 12 days behind last year and 9 days behind normal. Two percent of the crop has set bolls, 5 days behind last year but the same as normal. Cotton condition rates 4 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 64 percent good, and 2 percent excellent. Sorghum planting is 69 percent complete, 18 days behind last year and 25 days behind normal. Sorghum condition rates 7 percent poor, 50 percent fair, 39 percent good, and 4 percent excellent, a slight improvement from a week ago. Harvest of winter wheat is 21 percent complete, 5 days behind normal and nearly a week behind last year. Progress in the Bootheel was aided by dry weather and jumped 52 points from last week to 66 percent complete. Winter wheat condition for the State is rated 4 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 35 percent good and 4 percent excellent. The first cutting of alfalfa is 79 percent harvested, over 11 days behind last year and 15 days behind normal. Other hay is 42 percent cut, 16 days behind last year and over 18 days behind the 5-year average.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 3 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 61 percent good and 12 percent excellent, a slight improvement from last week.

Weather Summary

Missouri temperatures during the past week were mostly 2 to 5 degrees below normal throughout the state with the Bootheel again being warmer than the rest of the state. Rainfall averaged 0.96 of an inch state wide, ranging from 0.49 of an inch in the northeast district to 1.51 inches in the west-central district. The three western districts and the central district averaged well over an inch of rain while the three eastern districts received around a half inch.