oh-crop-weather Week Ending: May 4, 2008 Released: May 5, 2008 James E. Ramey, Director USDA/NASS Ohio Field Office P.O. Box 686 Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 (614) 728-2100 Issue No. 5 OHIO CROP WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS The average temperature for the State was 53.8 degrees, 0.8 degrees below normal for the week ending Sunday, May 4, 2008. Precipitation averaged 1.24 inches, 0.33 inches above normal. There were 50 modified growing degree days, 11 days below normal. Reporters rated 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the seven-day period ending Friday, May 9, 2008. Topsoil moisture was rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Days Suitable for Fieldwork ------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Current : Previous : Since 1st week : Week : Week : of April ------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Days : 2008 : 4.7 4.6 15.0 2007 : 3.5 3.7 15.4 2003-07 Avg. : 4.0 3.4 19.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Topsoil Moisture --------------------------------------------------------------- :Very Short: Short : Adequate : Surplus --------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Current Week.......: 0 3 81 16 Last Week..........: 0 1 76 23 Same Week : Last Year..........: 1 1 58 40 2003-07 : Average............: 1 7 66 28 --------------------------------------------------------------- FIELD ACTIVITIES AND CROP PROGRESS WEEK ENDING SUNDAY MAY 5, 2008 Farmers had less than 5 days suitable for field work which allowed planting of corn, soybeans, and oats. Reporters in the Northwest and South Central districts report minimal to no apple and peach fruit crop damage from 1-2 nights of sub-freezing temperatures. South Central district producers also report no damage to vegetable and strawberry plants from freezing temperatures. Tobacco producers covered plants to protect from cold temperatures. Northwest producers with winter damage to alfalfa hay fields plan to replant alfalfa fields to corn, and will establish new alfalfa fields elsewhere. Other field activities for the week included hauling manure, spreading fertilizer, field tillage, herbicide application and planting tomatoes and sweet corn. As of Sunday May 4 winter wheat jointed was at 72 percent, compared to 70 percent last year and 75 percent for the five year average (2003-2007). Corn acreage planted was at 31 percent, 2 days behind last year and 8 days behind the five-year average. Corn emerged was at 1 percent, compared to 4 percent last year and 8 percent for the five-year average. Eighty percent of the Oats have been planted, which was 10 percent points ahead of last year, but 5 percentage points behind the five-year average. Oats emerged was at 37 percent which was 4 days ahead of last year, but 3 days behind the five-year average. Potato acreage planted was 52 percent complete, compared to 39 percent last year and 52 percent for the five-year average. Ohio's apple acres were 92 percent in full bloom, compared to 57 percent last year and 71 percent for the five-year average. Ohio's peaches in full bloom were estimated at 88 percent, compared to 61 percent last year and 73 percent for the five-year average. CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITION Seventy-three percent of the winter wheat acreage was rated in fair-to-good condition, down 3 percentage points from last week. Oats condition was rated at 91 percent in fair-to-good condition. Hay condition was rated at 84 percent in fair-to-good condition, up 1 percentage point from last week. Pasture condition was rated at 78 percent in fair-to-good condition, compared to 79 percent last week. Eighty-three percent of the apples were rated in fair-to-good condition, compared to 78 percent last week. Peaches were rated at 82 percent in fair-to-good condition, compared to 76 percent week. Eighty-two percent of the livestock were in fair-to-good condition, down from 85. PERCENT PROGRESS OF CROPS FOR THE WEEK ENDING SUNDAY, MAY 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Crop : 2008 : 2007 :2003-2007: Previous Week : : : :------------------- : : : Average : Ohio : U.S. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent : Apples in Full Bloom : 92 57 71 39 NA Corn Planted : 31 33 59 9 NA Corn Emerged : 1 4 8 NA NA Oats Planted : 80 70 85 60 NA Oats Emerged : 37 20 46 8 NA Peaches in Full Bloom : 88 61 73 58 NA Potatoes Planted : 52 39 52 27 NA Soybeans Planted : 8 11 26 NA NA Winter Wheat Jointed : 72 70 75 43 NA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PERCENT CONDITION OF MAJOR CROPS FOR THE WEEK ENDING MAY 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Very Poor : Poor : Fair : Good : Excellent ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Percent : : : Current Week......: 0 1 16 67 16 APPLES : Previous Week.....: 0 2 23 55 20 : Previous Year.....: 32 19 33 14 2 : : : Current Week......: 1 4 34 50 11 HAY : Previous Week.....: 1 6 34 49 10 : Previous Year.....: 2 10 37 43 8 : : : Current Week......: 1 3 20 62 14 LIVESTOCK : Previous Week.....: 0 3 23 62 12 : Previous Year.....: 0 3 18 66 13 : : : Current Week......: 1 2 31 60 6 OATS : Previous Week.....: 0 0 0 0 0 : Previous Year.....: 0 3 36 56 5 : : : Current Week......: 1 7 31 47 14 PASTURE : Previous Week.....: 1 9 32 47 11 : Previous Year.....: 1 6 30 52 11 : : : Current Week......: 1 1 18 64 16 PEACHES : Previous Week.....: 1 1 24 52 22 : Previous Year.....: 40 24 28 8 0 : : : Current Week......: 1 5 19 54 21 WINTER WHEAT: Previous Week.....: 1 5 21 55 18 : Previous Year.....: 6 18 35 33 8 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING SUNDAY, MAY 4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Region :Temperature: Precipitation :Growing Degree Days 1/ :----------------------------------------------------------- :Last : :Last : :Since: :Last : :Since: :Week :Dev. :Week :Dev. :Apr.1:Dev. :Week :Dev. :Apr.1:Dev. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ : Degrees -------- Inches ------- ------- Days ------- : Northwest :51.8 -1.6 0.94 0.20 3.45 -0.29 45 -9 237 38 North Central :52.3 -0.9 1.57 0.87 3.65 -0.06 43 -9 247 57 Northeast :51.7 -0.6 1.82 1.12 3.49 -0.31 36 -15 250 63 West Central :53.8 -0.8 1.11 0.19 3.28 -0.90 51 -8 261 36 Central :54.6 -0.5 1.26 0.30 2.86 -1.25 53 -10 295 55 Central Hills :52.9 -0.5 1.53 0.68 3.36 -0.67 45 -11 262 51 Northeast Hills :53.6 -0.3 1.14 0.32 2.94 -0.94 46 -12 275 52 Southwest :55.4 -0.8 1.12 -0.13 3.62 -1.12 57 -10 289 29 South Central :55.4 -1.3 0.99 -0.07 3.68 -0.36 59 -14 330 37 Southeast :55.2 -0.1 1.20 0.22 3.09 -0.95 55 -11 315 56 STATE :53.8 -0.8 1.24 0.33 3.33 -0.71 50 -11 278 47 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1/ Modified Growing degree days, base 50 - ceiling 86 NOTE: Our crop weather release is available by e-mail. To subscribe, type in the Internet address: http://www.nass.usda.gov/oh/ Click on "Subscribe to OH Reports", then choose "oh crop-weather". Type in name and email address and click "subscribe". Also check out the USDA-NASS Home Page at http://www.nass.usda.gov/oh/. We are currently developing and adding more to our home page each week.