Agricultural Summary

A week of little or no rain allowed farmers to return to the fields. Although producers welcomed the break from the rains, the north-central and east-central districts need rain to improve growing conditions. Late soybean planting continued in the northwest, northeast, west-central, and east-central areas. Row crops in the northeast district were showing signs of stress. State-wide, topsoil moisture rates 1 percent very short, 18 percent short, 73 percent adequate, and 8 percent surplus. There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork, the most active week of the season.

Field Crops Report

The corn crop is 52 percent silked, 16 days behind last year and normal. Corn condition rated 4 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 40 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from last week. Soybean emergence is at 93 percent, two weeks behind last year and three weeks behind normal. Fifteen percent of the soybeans are blooming, 13 days behind last year and 15 days behind normal. Soybean condition is rated 4 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 36 percent good, and 6 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from last week. Rice heading is at 16 percent complete, about the same as last year and normal. Rice condition was reported as 2 percent poor, 13 percent fair, 46 percent good, and 39 percent excellent. Cotton squaring is at 95 percent, the same as last year and normal. Sixty percent of the crop has set bolls, about 2 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal. Cotton condition rated 8 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Sorghum heading is at 15 percent, 15 days behind last year and 10 days behind normal. Sorghum condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 47 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Winter wheat harvest is at 96 percent complete, 9 days behind normal and the same as last year. Good progress was made in the second cutting of alfalfa harvest, advancing to 58 percent complete, but just about two weeks behind last year and the 5-year average. Other hay is 81 percent cut, 16 days behind last year and 20 days behind average.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 59 percent good and 13 percent excellent. Forage production has been generally good this year, but the quality has suffered.

Weather Summary

Temperatures ranged from 2 degrees above average to 2 degrees below, with the northern part of the State generally normal to above normal and southern areas normal to below normal. Rainfall for the week averaged 0.19 inches, ranging from about 0.01 inches in the east-central and west-central districts to 0.43 inches in the northeast district.