Agricultural Summary

Dry weather conditions this past week have made for another great week for fieldwork as harvest and winter-wheat seeding are nearing completion across the State; however, pastures are deteriorating and wheat fields are appearing spotty due to these extremely dry conditions. There were 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork statewide. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 24 percent very short, 42 percent short, and 34 percent adequate. This is much drier than last week as supplies were rated 66 percent short to very short compared with 50 percent a week earlier and 29 percent normal. The south-central district and the Bootheel reported supplies at 99 and 98 percent short to very short, respectively. Fall tillage was 79 percent complete, well ahead of both last year and the 5-year average (normal).

Field Crops Report

Corn harvest reached 98 percent Statewide, more significantly advanced than last year and more than a month ahead of normal. The northeast district progressed 9 points from last week. Soybean harvest was 97 percent complete, more than a month ahead of last year and about 4 weeks ahead of normal. Sorghum harvest was 98 percent complete, a month or more ahead of both last year and normal. Both the central and east-central districts advanced 12 points from a week earlier. Planting of winter wheat was 97 percent complete, up 8 points from last week. This is greatly ahead of both last year and normal. Seventy-one percent of the wheat crop has emerged, well ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of normal. Wheat germination has been poor this year due to the dry conditions and some replanting has already been done. Winter wheat condition was rated 3 percent very poor, 12 percent poor, 42 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 1 percent excellent, similar to a week earlier. Conditions in the north-central and south-central districts and in the Bootheel were rated 20 percent or more poor to very poor.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition was rated 13 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 43 percent fair, 24 percent good, and 3 percent excellent, worse than a week earlier. This year, conditions are rated only 27 percent good to excellent compared with 73 percent last year and 39 percent normal. Due to the continued lack of precipitation, pasture conditions in the south-central district and Bootheel continue to be the poorest in the State and were rated 75 and 95 percent poor to very poor, respectively. There have been reports in the south-central district that not only are pasture conditions deteriorating, but that livestock water supplies are getting short as well.

Weather Summary

Temperatures were 4 degrees below to 1 degree above normal across the State. Rainfall averaged 0.15 of an inch Statewide. Cedar county received the most precipitation with 2.25 inches of rainfall. Over the past four weeks, the northwest and southwest districts have received 1.3 and 1.5 inches of rainfall, respectively, whereas all other districts have received around an inch or less.