Agricultural Summary

Heavy rainfall limited fieldwork over the State except for the Bootheel. Producers are concerned with the potential need to replant corn due to the continued cool, damp conditions. Topsoil moisture was rated 38 percent adequate and 62 percent surplus, comparable with a year ago. A week earlier, topsoil moisture was rated 25 percent surplus. The south-central and southeast districts reported less than 15 percent surplus whereas all other districts reported over 50 percent surplus. There was 1 day suitable for fieldwork on average. The southeast district reported 4 days suitable compared with the northern 2/3 of the State, which reported one day or less. Spring tillage reached 80 percent complete, 11 days ahead of last year’s 60 percent and 4 days ahead of the 5-year average of 75 percent complete.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting averaged 85 percent complete, up one point from last week. This is 11 days ahead of last year’s 52 percent and nearly 7 days ahead of the normal of 73 percent complete. The southern third of the state and the east-central district have each reported over 90 percent of the corn has been planted. The northwest and north-central districts averaged 77 and 76 percent complete, respectively. Corn emerged reached 62 percent, 11 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal. Corn condition was rated 6 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Soybean planting averaged 18 percent complete, 4 days ahead of last year’s 8 percent, but 3 days behind normal. The southeast district averaged 42 percent complete. The soybean crop was 7 percent emerged throughout the State, 8 days ahead of last year, but similar to normal. Cotton planting moved to 89 percent complete, up 38 points from last week. This is 13 days ahead of last year and 7 days ahead of normal. Rice planting was virtually finished this past week, 22 days ahead of last year and normal. Rice was 85 percent emerged, 18 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. Rice condition was rated 2 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 15 percent excellent. Sorghum planting was reported at 20 percent complete, 5 days ahead of last year, but 5 days behind normal. Winter wheat averaged 64 percent headed, led by the south-central and southeast districts at 99 and 100 percent. This is similar to last year, but almost 3 days behind normal. Wheat condition was rated 9 percent very poor, 22 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 29 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. First cutting of alfalfa was 8 percent complete, a day ahead of last year, but 7 days behind normal. Other hay was 3 percent cut, 2 days ahead of last year, but 3 days behind normal.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition, which improved slightly from a week ago, was rated 1 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 10 percent excellent. This year, 65 percent of the pasture was rated good to excellent condition compared with 66 percent last year.

Weather Summary

Temperatures in the northern third of the State were 6 to 8 degrees below average; however, the Bootheel experienced temperatures that were 1 to 3 degrees above average. Temperatures in the remainder of the State were 2 to 5 degrees below average. Rainfall averaged 3.59 inches across the State. The Bootheel received only 0.83 of an inch, while the rest of the State received more than 2.5 inches. Moreover, the west-central and southwest districts each received over 4.5 inches of rainfall. Vernon and Hickory counties received the largest amounts of moisture with 8.68 and 7.23 inches, respectively.