Agricultural Summary

A break in rainfall of several days over most of the State allowed significant headway to be made in spring planting, replanting of corn, and harvesting of hay, narrowing the gap behind normal progress. Farmers worked around wet spots and avoided most bottom-land trying not to get stuck or rut their fields. Topsoil moisture is 1 percent short, 68 percent adequate, and 31 percent surplus. Spring tillage is 76 percent complete, 13 days behind the normal of 88 percent. There were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork with the northwest district reporting over 6 days suitable while the south-central district reported just over 4 days. A year ago there were 4.1 days available for fieldwork. Fieldwork for corn, soybeans and hay is ahead of last year while sorghum is about even. Cotton and rice lag a year earlier.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting is 81 percent complete, a 27 point increase from last week. Planting is 9 days behind the normal pace of 91 percent complete. The northeast and west-central districts increased corn plantings over 40 points from the previous week. More weather delays may cause farmers to stop planting corn and switch to soybeans. Corn emergence is at 52 percent, a 17 point increase from last week but still 17 days behind normal. Soybean planting is 28 percent complete, 9 days behind the normal pace of 51 percent. Seven percent of the crop has emerged, similar to last year at this time but 10 days behind a normal of 28 percent. Cotton planting is at 79 percent, a 50 point increase over last week but a week behind the normal progress of 93 percent. Rice planting is also 79 percent complete, 15 days behind a normal of 98 percent. Rice emerged is at 52 percent, 2 weeks behind the normal pace of 88 percent. Rice condition is rated 1 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Rice in good to excellent condition is 71 percent compared to 84 percent last year at this time. Sorghum planting is at 28 percent, 12 days behind a normal of 56 percent. Wheat heading is at 85 percent, 5 days behind the normal of 92 percent. Heading is practically complete in the southeast and south-central districts. Twenty-one percent of the wheat crop has turned color comparable with a normal of 19 percent. Condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 8 percent excellent. The first cutting of alfalfa is 28 percent complete, 6 days behind the normal of 44 percent. Other hay is 13 percent cut, 5 days behind the normal of 20 percent. Many farmers took advantage of the open weather to plant crops rather than cut hay. Some fescue hay fields are beginning to head out with fairly short stems and lower nutritional quality.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 2 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 15 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from a week earlier.

Weather Summary

Temperatures ranged from 1 to 6 degrees above average across the State. Rainfall averaged 0.16 of an inch statewide with a range of no precipitation in the west-central district to 0.39 of an inch in the south-central district. The northern third of the State reported 0.01 to 0.02 of an inch. Phelps County reported receiving over 2 inches of rain during the week