Agricultural Summary

Field preparation, planting, and replanting continued in full force as dry weather pushed farmers to take advantage of the 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork.  Storms causing hail damage in the north-central and northeast districts limited fieldwork, but the southwest and south-central districts enjoyed nearly 7 days suitable for fieldwork.  Flooding concerns continued with bottom lands flooded along the Mississippi above St. Louis and seepage becoming apparent along the Missouri River north of Kansas City.  However, warm weather and little precipitation reduced statewide topsoil moisture supply to 2 percent very short, 21 percent short, 65 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus.  Spring tillage was 97 percent complete with the southeast district (Bootheel) at 91 percent, still feeling the delays from early season flooding. 

Field Crops Report

Corn emergence was 97 percent, 3 days ahead of last year, and 11 days ahead of the 5-year historic average (normal).  Although the weather was warmer than average, corn condition was 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 30 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 10 percent excellent.  Soybeans progressed 18 points from last week to 77 percent planted, 6 days ahead of 2010 and 5 days ahead of normal.  Emergence was 58 percent, nearly the same as last year and normal.  Soybean condition was 4 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 6 percent excellent, but cotton condition remained very similar to last week with 29 percent in the poor and very poor categories, 32 percent fair, 34 percent good, and 5 percent excellent.  Cotton squaring was 2 percent, 13 days behind 2010, and 9 days behind normal.  Rice emergence was 97 percent, 21 days behind last year, and 6 days behind normal.  Rice condition improved slightly from last week with 2 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 43 percent good, and 14 percent excellent.  Planting continued to 70 percent complete for sorghum, 6 days behind last year, and 5 days behind normal.  Sorghum condition was 2 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 69 percent good, and 5 percent excellent.  Wheat condition was 9 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 31 percent fair, 37 percent good, and 7 percent excellent.  The Bootheel remained similar to last week with 57 percent in the very poor, and poor categories, and 43 percent in the fair and good categories.  Winter wheat turning color was 93 percent, 8 days ahead of last year, and 6 days ahead of normal.  Harvest was nearly the same as last year and normal at 9 percent, with 21 percent of wheat in the Bootheel harvested.  The first cutting for alfalfa hay advanced 25 points to 78 percent, 13 days ahead of last year, and 3 days ahead of normal.  The second cutting for alfalfa hay was 4 percent complete, 1 week behind last year, and 1 day behind normal.  Other hay cutting moved 17 points, to 44 percent, 2 days ahead of last year, but 1 day behind of normal.        

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition declined slightly from last week to 4 percent poor, 33 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. 

Weather Summary

Precipitation was scarce with the state averaging only 0.39 of an inch.  The northeast district was the only district to receive over an inch of rain.  Warm weather continued with temperatures in the Bootheel 7 to 9 degrees above average and the rest of the state 3 to 7 degrees above average.  Temperatures hit the 90’s across most of the state during the day, with the Bootheel hitting 100 degrees, but night time temperatures went as low as the mid 50’s to 60’s.