NEW MEXICO CROP PROGRESS
United States Department of Agriculture
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
NEW MEXICO FIELD OFFICE
P.O. BOX 150969 · Lakewood, CO  80215-0969
Cooperating with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture

              

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2025
Contact: Rodger Ott
(800) 392-3202

CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
WEEK ENDING MAY 25, 2025

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:  Conditions remained dry and limited precipitation was received last week in New Mexico, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Union County producers reported no moisture received this past week. In the county, planting of corn progressed quickly, and wheat was being hayed. A report noted area fields expected to be put in corn were currently idle or for sale. In Dona Ana County, continued drought was a primary concern for producers. According to the High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC), most of the State received little measurable precipitation last week. Scattered precipitation was limited to northwestern counties. Temperatures for counties on the southeastern border were warm this week, with average temperatures 1 to 5 degrees above normal. The rest of the State experienced varied temperatures, with averages ranging more than 5 degrees above and below normal. Drought continued to worsen in the State, particularly in southeastern counties. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor released on May 22, exceptional drought (D4) conditions increased from 8 percent to over 9 percent of the State. Extreme drought (D3) conditions covered about 38 percent of the State this week, compared to roughly 41 percent the week prior. Severe drought (D2) conditions were unchanged at 25 percent of the State. Moderate drought (D1) conditions decreased slightly to 11 percent of the State. Abnormally dry (D0) conditions covered approximately 11 percent of the State. Counties along the eastern border near Quay County saw some reprieve from drought conditions, as the percentage of the State experiencing no drought conditions increased to approximately 5 percent of the State. The New Mexico SNOTEL data released on May 26 showed snowpack continued to suffer due to dry conditions. The Lower Rio Grande Basin was reported at 0 percent of normal snowpack. The Pecos Basin was 22 percent of normal snowpack. The Rio Chama-Upper Rio Grande was reported at 8 percent of normal, compared to 22 percent last week. The San Juan Basin snowpack decreased from 27 percent of normal last week to 16 percent of normal this week. 
Hay and roughage supplies were reported as 14 percent very short, 19 percent short, and 67 percent adequate, compared with 41 percent very short, 48 percent short, and 11 percent adequate last year. Stock water supplies were reported as 28 percent very short, 19 percent short, and 53 percent adequate, compared with 60 percent very short, 22 percent short, and 18 percent adequate last year. No crop freeze damage or hail damage was reported. Wind damage in all crops was reported as 1 percent light.

NOTE: The Crop-CASMA (Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics) for Root Zone Moisture can be accessed at www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_Mexico by clicking on Crop Progress & Condition. For this data product, the root zone is defined as the top 3.2 feet of soil (approximately 1 meter).

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS	
Commodity	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average	
	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	
Alfalfa hay					
    1st cutting harvested		87	83	73	64	
    2nd cutting harvested		35	30	11	NA	
Chile					
    Planted		95	93	95	NA	
	Emerged		70	60	51	68	
Corn					
	Planted		46	39	55	67	
    Emerged		22	18	14	31	
Cotton					
    Planted		62	60	61	60	
    Emerged		42	23	29	31	
Onions					
	Harvested		13	NA	9	NA	
Winter wheat					
	Headed		95	60	NA	NA	
					
Cattle and calves					
	Receiving supplemental feed		49	49	76	79	
Sheep and lambs					
	Receiving supplemental feed		63	59	39	62	
NA – not available
(--) – zero

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION	
	Current week	Previous report	Previous year	5-year average	
Days suitable for fieldwork		7.0	7.0	6.9	6.4	
					
Topsoil moisture	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	
	Very short		36	37	49	40	
	Short		23	26	43	37	
	Adequate		41	35	8	21	
	Surplus		--	2	--	2	
Subsoil moisture					
	Very short		38	42	45	44	
	Short		27	28	47	42	
	Adequate		35	29	8	14	
	Surplus		--	1	--	--	
NA – not available
(--) – zero
CROP, LIVESTOCK, AND PASTURE AND RANGE CONDITION	
Commodity	Current week	Previous report	Previous year	5-year average	
	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	
Alfalfa hay					
	Very poor		--	3	1	1	
	Poor		4	10	3	7	
	Fair		20	15	43	32	
	Good		47	50	32	42	
	Excellent		29	22	21	18	
Chile					
    Very Poor	    	--	4	--	2	
    Poor		2	11	3	12	
    Fair		11	16	27	29	
    Good		27	17	32	36	
    Excellent		60	52	38	21	
Onions					
    Very Poor		--	--	--	--	
    Poor		--	--	--	1	
    Fair		3	4	--	8	
    Good		36	28	40	47	
    Excellent		61	68	60	44	
Pasture and range					
    Very Poor		29	22	32	18	
    Poor		23	24	38	34	
    Fair		10	19	21	31	
    Good		6	11	8	14	
    Excellent		32	24	1	3	
Winter wheat					
	Very poor		--	3	56	33	
	Poor		8	13	27	24	
	Fair		14	19	3	22	
	Good		6	6	4	6	
	Excellent		72	59	10	15	
					
Cattle and calves					
	Very poor		3	2	4	3	
	Poor		10	15	22	13	
	Fair		19	27	47	38	
	Good		17	23	19	32	
	Excellent		51	33`	8	14	
Sheep and lambs					
	Very poor		--	1	1	6	
	Poor		3	1	5	7	
	Fair		40	41	65	37	
	Good		57	56	28	45	
	Excellent		--	1	1	5	

NA – not available
(--) – zero