Agricultural Summary

No rain equated to 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork.  Now experiencing extreme drought, statewide topsoil moisture rated 90 percent very short, 9 percent short, and only 1 percent adequate.  Subsoil moisture was 85 percent very short, 14 percent short, and 1 percent adequate.  Grass fires continue to be a concern.  Well pumps have been lowered to account for dropping ground water levels.

Field Crops Report

Corn silked and beyond was 95 percent, 13 days ahead of last year and 18 days ahead of normal (5-year average).  Corn dough stage and beyond was 61 percent, 15 days ahead of last year, and 17 days ahead of normal.  Corn dented was 26 percent, 16 days ahead of last year, and 18 days ahead of normal.  Corn condition rated 48 percent very poor, 31 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 4 percent good, and 1 percent excellent.  Rain will not help most of the corn crop at this point.  Some producers cut silage and baled corn to salvage it due to low yields.  Soybeans blooming and beyond were 60 percent, 1 week ahead of last year, and 10 days ahead of normal.  Soybeans setting pods and beyond were 16 percent, 5 days ahead of last year and normal.  Soybean condition was 31 percent very poor, 37 percent poor, 24 percent fair, 7 percent good, and 1 percent excellent.  Extreme drought conditions and excessive heat prevented some soybeans from flowering, and there were several reports of soybeans not setting pods.  Cotton squaring and beyond was 98 percent, 8 days ahead of last year, and 1 week ahead of normal.  Cotton setting bolls and beyond was 31 percent, 4 days behind last year, and 9 days behind normal.  Cotton condition was 12 percent very poor, 31 percent poor, 42 percent fair, 13 percent good, and 2 percent excellent.  Rice headed was 22 percent, 16 days ahead of last year, and 3 days ahead of normal.  Rice condition was 5 percent poor, 23 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 20 percent excellent.  Sorghum headed was 47 percent, 16 days ahead of last year, and 11 days ahead of normal.  Sorghum turning color and beyond was 7 percent, 16 days ahead of last year, and 11 days ahead of normal.  Sorghum condition was 19 percent very poor, 34 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 11 percent good, and 1 percent excellent.  Alfalfa hay 3rd cutting was 36 percent, 10 days ahead of last year, and 2 weeks ahead of normal.  Many areas were not able to have a 3rd cutting due to the drought.   

Pasture & Livestock

Pasture condition dropped to 74 percent very poor, 22 percent poor, and only 4 percent adequate.  Supply of hay and other roughages was 39 percent very short, 40 percent short, and 21 percent adequate.  Stock water supplies were 48 percent very short, 36 percent short, and 16 percent adequate.  Large ponds have dropped several feet, and small ponds were getting low. 

Weather Summary

Temperatures were 4 to 8 degrees above average around the state except the southeast district was 2 to 4 degrees above average.  Precipitation averaged 0.05 of an inch.