Agricultural Summary

Rainfall this past week kept many farmers out of their fields and created muddy conditions which slowed harvest and delayed wheat planting. There were 3.4 days suitable for fieldwork statewide. Most of the State had less than 3.3 days suitable while the Bootheel had nearly 7 days. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 2 percent very short, 9 percent short, 54 percent adequate, and 35 percent surplus. Fall tillage has begun and was 7 percent complete, nearly a month ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average (normal). On-farm storage availability for this year’s harvest was rated 16 percent short, 82 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus, virtually unchanged from a week earlier. The northeast district reported 36 percent short.

Field Crops Report

Corn maturity reached 90 percent Statewide, 16 days ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of normal. Forty-two percent of the corn has been harvested, 26 days ahead of last year but similar to normal. Many producers in the Bootheel have finished harvesting corn as the average moved to 94 percent complete this week. Corn condition was rated 7 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 39 percent good, and 10 percent excellent, similar to a week earlier. Respondents are reporting corn moisture at harvest between 14.9 percent and 17.8 percent with a State average of 17.0 percent. Soybeans turning color was 75 percent complete, over 4 days ahead of last year but slightly behind normal. Leaves have dropped on 44 percent of the soybean crop, as mature soybeans reached 17 percent, 2 days ahead of last year but more than 2 days behind normal. Soybean harvest was 4 percent complete, just ahead of last year, but similar to normal while condition was rated 5 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 41 percent good, and 10 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from last week. Cotton continued to mature rapidly as bolls have opened on 95 percent of the crop, 40 days ahead of last year and over 22 days ahead of normal. Cotton harvest advanced 21 points to reach 31 percent complete, 42 days ahead of last year’s slow pace and 12 days ahead of normal. Cotton condition was rated 12 percent very poor, 20 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 33 percent good, and 9 percent excellent, similar to last week. Rice harvest reached 83 percent complete, up 28 points from last week, advancing to 38 days ahead of last year and 19 days ahead of normal. Ninety-three percent of the sorghum has turned color, 10 days ahead of last year, while sorghum maturity reached 72 percent complete, more than 18 days ahead of last year and a week ahead of normal. Sorghum harvest was 25 percent complete, 23 days ahead of last year but similar to normal. Sorghum condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 5 percent excellent, a slight improvement over a week earlier. Planting of winter wheat was 4 percent complete, 2 days ahead of last year but 4 days behind normal. Wheat is just beginning to emerge.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition was rated 8 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 41 percent good, and 9 percent excellent, virtually unchanged from a week earlier. An improvement was seen in the south-central district, where pasture condition was rated 54 percent poor to very poor compared with 71 percent last week. In the Bootheel, pasture condition fell to 87 percent poor to very poor, 10 points worse than a week earlier.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were 4 to 8 degrees above normal across the State. Rainfall averaged 1.69 inches Statewide. Mercer county received the most moisture with over 7.0 inches of rainfall. The Bootheel reported the least amount of precipitation with 0.11 of an inch while the north-central district reported 3.66 inches of rainfall. This area has received an average of only 3.59 inches over the past 4 weeks whereas all other districts have reported an average of at least 6.5 inches of rainfall.