Agricultural Summary

Warm, dry conditions allowed producers to make substantial progress in spring tillage and planting. Spring plantings and tillage are well ahead of last year. Topsoil moisture is 2 percent short, 58 percent adequate, and 40 percent surplus. Surplus topsoil moisture declined 29 to 45 points in the eastern third of the State, while increasing 42 points in the northwestern district. Spring tillage is 50 percent complete, 11 days behind the normal of 62 percent. There were 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork with the southwest district reporting nearly 6 days suitable. Last year there were less than 2 days suitable for fieldwork.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting is 27 percent complete compared to 7 percent last year. Corn planting is 13 days behind the normal pace of 55 percent complete. Corn plantings increased 31 points in the southeast district. Planting advanced 20 points this past week compared to the 5 year average progress of 13 points during the same week. Rice planting is 47 percent complete, slightly ahead of normal. Rice emerged is at 9 percent, 3 days behind the normal pace of 14 percent. Cotton planting is at 10 percent, behind the normal progress of 18 percent. Sorghum planting is at 2 percent, 13 days behind the normal. Only the southeast and south-central districts report sorghum planted. Soybean planting has started with reports of a few fields seeded in the east-central, south-central and southeast districts. Wheat heading is at 5 percent, ahead of last year’s 3 percent, but 7 days behind the normal of 17 percent. Condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 39 percent fair, 46 percent good, and 7 percent excellent.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 4 percent excellent. Pasture conditions continue to improve across the State with increases in good to excellent conditions in all districts except the southwest.

Weather Summary

Temperatures ranged from 4 to 8 degrees above average across the State except the southeast district where temperatures ranged from 3 to 6 degrees above average. Rainfall averaged 0.54 inches statewide with a range of 0.92 inches in the northwest district to 0.28 inches in the southeast district.