Agricultural Summary

Spring is in the air with warm temperatures one day and cool temperatures the next. Rain, hail, wind, and overcast conditions allowed only 3.4 days suitable for fieldwork. The west-central district fared best with 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork compared to the southeast district with 1.4 days. Rainy conditions increased topsoil moisture supply to 2 percent rated short, 73 percent rated adequate, and 25 percent rated surplus. Although the south-central district topsoil moisture continued to be the driest, 2.18 inches of rain greatly improved pasture conditions and increased the topsoil moisture rating to 1 percent very short, 12 percent short, 78 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Spring tillage continued with 47 percent complete, 4 days ahead of average but about the same as last year.

Field Crops Report

Corn planting was 26 percent complete, 10 points behind 2010, and 2 points ahead of normal. The west-central district led the pack with 47 percent complete, but heavy rain and low-elevation flooding may necessitate some replanting. The east-central district made little progress with corn planting rated 8 percent complete. Continued rain in the southeast prevented rice planting, so only 7 percent was complete, 6 days behind last year and 7 days behind normal. Rice emergence began. The winter wheat condition held steady from last week with 3 percent rated poor, 26 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Winter wheat heading was 1 percent complete. Sorghum planting began. Cotton planting has not begun.

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition improved slightly to 1 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 41 percent fair, 41 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. The southwest district fared best with 78 percent in the good and excellent categories. Pasture conditions were poorest in the north-central district due to continued cool temperatures and overcast skies, rating 1 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 61 percent fair, 28 percent good, and 4 percent excellent.

Weather Summary

Precipitation averaged 1.62 inches state-wide with the southeast district averaging 2.38 inches and the northeast district 0.88 of an inch. Although temperatures were 1 to 2 degrees above average, overcast conditions slowed fieldwork.