Agricultural Summary

Spotty precipitation provided little relief as high temperatures baked the state, drying crops and pastures.  There were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork statewide.  Although topsoil moisture improved 2 points from last week in the adequate category to 31 percent very short, 38 percent short, 29 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus, this was hardly enough to improve or halt declining conditions for corn, soybeans, sorghum, and pastures.  Topsoil moisture in 7 of the 9 crop districts was greater than 75 percent short and very short.  Subsoil moisture supply was 22 percent very short, 37 percent short, 39 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. 

Field Crops Report

Corn silked and beyond was 92 percent, 1 day ahead of last year, and 2 days head of normal (5-year historic average).  Corn in the dough stage and beyond was 47 percent, 2 days behind last year, but 1 day ahead of normal.  Corn dented was 12 percent, 2 days ahead of last year, and 1 day ahead of normal.  Corn condition was 13 percent very poor, 15 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 38 percent good, and 8 percent excellent.  The southwest district suffered from the continued heat reporting 84 percent very poor which is defined as extreme degree of loss to yield potential, complete or near crop failure.  Soybeans blooming and beyond were 66 percent, 1 day ahead of last year, and 3 days ahead of normal.  Soybeans setting pods and beyond were 26 percent, 1 day behind last year, but 1 day ahead of normal.  Soybean condition was 5 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 34 percent fair, 40 percent good, and 7 percent excellent.  Soybean condition in the southwest district was 91 percent poor defined as heavy degree of loss of yield potential.  Cotton squaring and beyond was nearly complete, 8 days behind last year, but the same as normal.  Cotton setting bolls and beyond was 74 percent, 9 days behind last year, and 5 days behind normal.  Unaffected by dry weather due to irrigation, cotton condition improved 2 points from last week in the good category to 4 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 55 percent good, and 4 percent excellent.  Rice development continued behind historic averages due to the late planting with only 10 percent headed, 18 days behind last year, and 2 weeks behind normal.  Rice condition remained the same as last week at 3 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 49 percent good, and 22 percent excellent.  Sorghum headed and beyond was 29 percent, 11 days behind last year, and 10 days behind normal.  Sorghum turning color and beyond was 2 percent, 15 days behind last year, and 11 days behind normal.  Sorghum condition was 1 percent very poor, 10 percent poor, 49 percent fair, 38 percent good, and 2 percent excellent.  Alfalfa hay 2nd cutting was 96 percent complete, 13 days ahead of last year, and 10 days ahead of normal.  Alfalfa hay 3rd cutting was 35 percent done, 1 day behind last year, but 3 days ahead of normal.  Other hay cut moved 1 point from last week to 95 percent complete, 1 week ahead of last year, and 6 days ahead of normal.  

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition continued to decline with 12 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 22 percent good, and 1 percent excellent.  Hay and other roughage supply was 5 percent very short, 23 percent short, 69 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.  Some producers in the west-central, central, southwest, and south-central districts started to feed hay.  Stock water supplies were 2 percent very short, 19 percent short, 77 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus. 

Weather Summary

Precipitation averaged 0.66 of an inch statewide although Andrew and Livingston Counties received more than 3 inches.  Temperatures were 3 to 4 degrees above average in the southeast district with the rest of the state 6 to 10 degrees above normal.