Agricultural Summary

Although cooler weather and rain across the state hampered fieldwork, some planting progress was made. Topsoil moisture is 1 percent short, 51 percent adequate, and 48 percent surplus. Spring tillage is 32 percent complete, 18 days behind the normal of 56 percent. There were 1.7 days suitable for fieldwork with the southwest district reporting over 4 days suitable.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting is 7 percent complete compared to 4 percent last year. Corn planting is 18 days behind the normal pace of 42 percent complete. The southeast and south-central districts increased corn planting 7 points. Rice planting is 11 percent complete, compared to the normal of 27 percent. Rice planting is 6 days behind the normal pace. Cotton planting has begun, reaching 1 percent, slightly behind last year’s 2 percent, and the normal pace of 5 percent. Sorghum planting has begun in the southeast and south-central districts. Wheat has started to head in the southeast district. Condition is rated at 8 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Some yellowing of wheat was noticed in the flat fields of the west-central district due wet conditions.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 9 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 46 percent good, and 3 percent excellent. Pasture conditions greatly improved statewide with the southwest and south-central districts, showing a 25 point increase in good to excellent condition in the southwest district and 19 point increase in the south-central district. Warmer conditions are needed to promote pasture growth.

Weather Summary

Temperatures ranged from 5 to 7 degrees below average in the eastern half of the State to 1 degree above average in the northwest. Rainfall averaged 1.30 inches statewide with a range of 2.11 inches in the southwest district to 0.85 inches in the northwest district. Jasper and Barry reported over 3.00 inches of precipitation, while Moniteau, Atchison, Mercer, and Platte each received less than 0.50 inch of precipitation.