Agricultural Summary

After a week of significant headway, producers made good progress as they worked between the rains. Topsoil moisture is 75 percent adequate, and 25 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is 86 percent adequate and 14 percent surplus with the northeast district reporting 36 percent surplus. Spring tillage is 85 percent complete, 10 days behind the normal of 92 percent. There were 3.1 days suitable for fieldwork with the southwest district reporting over 5 days suitable. Fieldwork for corn, soybeans, sorghum and hay is behind normal, but ahead of last year. Cotton and rice are behind last year’s and the normal pace.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting is 90 percent complete with the northwest district and southern third of the State nearly completed. Planting is 8 days behind the normal pace of 95 percent complete. Corn condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 45 percent good, and 10 percent excellent, similar to last year at this time. Corn emergence is at 73 percent, a 21 point increase from last week but still 11 days behind normal. Soybean planting is 43 percent complete, 10 days behind the normal pace of 65 percent. Emergence is 22 percent, a 15 point increase from last week but 9 days behind a normal of 45 percent. Cotton planting is at 92 percent, 8 days behind the normal progress of 99 percent. Rice planting is 93 percent complete, about 13 days behind the normal completion of planting. Rice emerged is at 79 percent, a 28 point increase from last week, 12 days behind the normal pace of 96 percent. Rice condition is rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Sorghum planting is at 43 percent, 12 days behind a normal of 69 percent. Wheat heading is at 95 percent, 3 days behind the normal of 97 percent. Heading is complete in the southeast and south-central districts. Thirty-nine percent of the wheat crop has turned color behind the normal of 46 percent. Condition is rated 2 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 40 percent fair, 40 percent good, and 8 percent excellent. The first cutting of alfalfa is 48 percent complete, 6 days behind the normal of 61 percent. The southeast district increased the first cutting of alfalfa by 59 points. Other hay is 24 percent cut, 5 days behind the normal of 32 percent.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition is rated 2 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 15 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from a week earlier. Stock water supplies are 88 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus.

Weather Summary

Temperatures ranged from near normal to 2 degrees above average across the State. Rainfall averaged 1.36 inches statewide with a range 0.77 inches in the southwest district to 1.89 inches in the southeast district. Pemiscot county reported 4.72 inches of rain last week.