Agricultural Summary

Another week of above-average temperatures and little rain has allowed for a rapid harvest and winter wheat seeding. Fall pasture and wheat emergence are suffering due to the lack of moisture. There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork statewide. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 14 percent very short, 29 percent short, 55 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. This is slightly drier than a week earlier as supplies were rated 43 percent short to very short compared with 40 percent a week earlier. The south-central district and Bootheel reported 91 and 92 percent short to very short, respectively. Fall tillage was 53 percent complete, well ahead of last year and 20 days ahead of the 5-year average (normal). On-farm storage availability for this year’s harvest was rated 25 percent short, 72 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus, less adequate than a week earlier. Storage capacity in the central district was reported as 30 percent short compared with 6 percent reported last week.

Field Crops Report

Corn harvest continued to advance more rapidly than normal to reach 90 percent Statewide, 40 days ahead of last year and 25 days ahead of normal. The northern third of the State progressed another 8 or more points from last week. Respondents are reporting corn moisture at harvest between 13.6 percent in the south-central district and 14.9 percent in the Bootheel for a State average of 14.6 percent. Soybeans mature reached 95 percent, 14 days ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of the normal pace. Soybean harvest, up 21 points from a week earlier, was 79 percent complete, nearly 21 days ahead of last year and 14 days ahead of normal. Cotton harvest was 96 percent complete, well ahead of last year and 38 days ahead of normal. Sorghum harvest was 89 percent complete, 37 days ahead of last year and nearly 23 days ahead of normal. Nearly all sorghum has been harvested in the northwest and west-central districts as well as in the southern third of the State. Planting of winter wheat was 74 percent complete, up 20 points from last week. This is 40 days ahead of last year and over 13 days ahead of normal. Thirty-five percent of the wheat crop has emerged, 23 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of normal. Winter wheat condition was rated 4 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 43 percent fair, 40 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Conditions in the Bootheel were rated 35 percent poor to very poor.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition was rated 4 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 38 percent good, and 5 percent excellent, similar to a week earlier. Conditions this year are rated 43 percent good to excellent, compared with 76 percent last year and 40 percent normal. Due to the lack of precipitation, pasture conditions in the south-central district and Bootheel continue to be the poorest in the State and were rated 53 and 85 percent poor to very poor, respectively.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were 4 to 7 degrees above normal across the State. Rainfall averaged 0.31 of an inch Statewide. Worth county received the most precipitation with 2.19 inches of rainfall. The northwest district has received 1.19 inches of rainfall in the past 4 weeks, whereas all other districts have received less than an inch.