CROP SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING JULY 31, 2005

NEW MEXICO: There were 6.8 days suitable for field work. Topsoil moisture was 30% very short, 44% short and 26% adequate. Wind damage was 16% light and 17% moderate. Hail damage was 3% light and 4% moderate. Farmers were busy weeding and spraying for grasshoppers. There is concern in Socorro County over low chile yields due to disease. Alfalfa was in mostly fair to excellent condition with 92% of the third cutting complete and 45% of the fourth cutting complete. Cotton was in fair to excellent condition with 96% squared and 63% setting bolls. Corn was 70% silked, 13% doughed and 1% dented, with condition reported as 11% poor, 38% fair, 46% good and 5% excellent. Sorghum was 20% headed and condition was 5% very poor, 24% poor, 46% fair, 24% good and 1% excellent . Peanuts were in fair to good condition with 100% pegged. Chile pod set was 10% light and 90% average with conditions reported as 1% very poor, 20% poor, 27% fair, 34% good and 18% excellent. Onions were 95% harvested. Apples were in very poor to fair condition. Pecans were in fair to excellent condition. Ranchers are hauling water for livestock and there is concern ranchers may have to start culling cattle herds if there is not some moisture soon. Cattle was reported as 1% very poor, 10% poor, 29% fair, 51% good and 9% excellent. Sheep were 5% very poor, 8% poor, 38% fair, 44% good and 5% excellent. Range and pasture was reported as 9% very poor, 35% poor, 44% fair, 11% good and 1% excellent.

WEATHER SUMMARY

Scattered mainly afternoon and evening summer thunderstorms provided some measurable precipitation at all but a few locations, but no stations reported as much as an inch of moisture. Red River (0.82 inches) reported the greatest total for the week. A cold front pushed south and west through New Mexico around mid-week and provided a couple of days relief from summer heat.

AGRICULTURAL PRICES RECEIVED

NEW MEXICO: Hay prices in New Mexico for the month of July increased by $2.00 from $125.00 per ton to $127.00. Alfalfa prices saw the same increase of $2.00 from $128.00 per ton in June to $130.00 per ton in July. Cow prices dropped from $57.80 per hundredweight in June to $56.20 per hundredweight in July. The July price was still above the national average of $55.60. Steer and heifer prices decreased by $1.00 to $106.00 per hundredweight, $16.40 above the national average of $89.60. Calf prices remained $1.00 above the national average coming in at $134.00 per hundredweight. Milk prices in New Mexico for July came in at $13.90, with the national average coming in at $14.80 per hundredweight.