Agricultural Summary

Heavy rains and flooding across the northeast caused damage while the southern third of the State remained fairly dry. There were 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture was rated 5 percent very short, 13 percent short, 63 percent adequate and 19 percent surplus. Topsoil moisture in the north-central and northeast districts went from 10 percent to 38 percent surplus and 27 percent to 74 percent surplus, respectively, while the southeast district went from 43 percent to 55 percent short to very short this week.

Field Crops Report

Corn silked and beyond was 88 percent complete, 8 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average (normal). Thirty-seven percent of the corn was in the dough stage, just over 5 days ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of normal. Corn in the dough stage in the east-central, southwest, and south-central districts advanced 30 points or more this week. Corn condition was rated 6 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 40 percent good, and 10 percent excellent, similar to a week earlier. Soybean blooming and beyond was 52 percent complete, just over 4 days ahead of last year and a day ahead of normal. Eighteen percent of the soybeans were setting pods, a week ahead of last year and just ahead of normal. Soybean condition was rated 6 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 39 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, similar to last week. Cotton squaring was virtually complete. Cotton setting bolls and beyond was 85 percent complete, up 33 points from a week earlier. This is 20 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of normal. Cotton condition, virtually unchanged from last week, was rated 3 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 25 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 3 percent excellent. Rice was 38 percent headed, up 20 points from a week earlier. This is 24 days ahead of last year and a week ahead of normal. Rice condition, similar to last week, was rated 3 percent poor, 12 percent fair, 54 percent good, and 31 percent excellent. Sorghum headed and beyond moved to 37 percent complete, just over a week ahead of last year, but 2 days behind normal. Six percent of the sorghum was turning color, 8 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal. Sorghum condition was rated 3 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Although this is similar to a week earlier at a State level, sorghum conditions in the northwest and central districts were rated at least 14 points higher in the good to excellent categories. The second cutting of alfalfa was 86 percent complete. This is 3 days ahead of last year, but just behind normal. The northwest and north-central districts made significant progress, up 30 and 15 points from a week earlier, respectively. The third cutting of alfalfa, up 12 points, was 28 percent complete. This is just over 14 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of normal. The southwest district made the greatest progress, up 39 points from last week. Other hay was 89 percent cut, similar to last year, but 6 days behind normal.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition was rated 6 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 45 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, similar to last week. This year, 53 percent was rated good to excellent, compared with 66 percent last year and 38 percent for the 5-year average. Pasture condition in the south-central and southeast districts improved, and were rated 54 percent and 27 percent poor to very poor compared with 66 percent and 48 percent last week, respectively.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were normal to 2 to 5 degrees above normal across the State. Rainfall averaged 2.09 inches Statewide. The northeast district received the most rainfall with 6.13 inches while districts in the southern third of the State averaged less than an inch. Adair and Shelby counties reported the most precipitation with 10.09 and 9.65 inches of rainfall, respectively.