Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather Released: Monday, 3PM July 28, 2003 Week Ending July 27, 2003 This report is best viewed with a monospace font. Issue MS-CW3003 Agricultural Summary According to the Mississippi Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 27, 2003. Insect pressure remains light but producers are watching and ready to spray if needed. Hot temperatures are maturing crops rapidly and soil moisture is fading fast. Soil moisture was rated 6 percent very short, 21 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus. Item Event This Last 2002 5-Yr Very Week Week Avg Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Corn Dough 92 87 94 94 1 2 11 53 33 Dent 63 55 73 74 Silage Harvested 51 26 39 37 Cotton Squaring 96 93 100 100 2 6 17 50 25 Setting Bolls 77 70 94 96 Rice Heading 68 43 50 47 0 2 13 58 27 Sorghum Heading 94 82 98 95 0 0 15 58 27 Turning Color 50 27 51 43 Soybeans Blooming 90 87 92 94 0 4 18 49 29 Setting Pods 78 70 70 76 Hay Harvested (Warm Season) 68 66 67 67 -- -- -- -- -- Watermelons Harvested 95 85 87 75 -- -- -- -- -- Sweetpotatoes Planted 1 3 29 23 44 Cattle 0 4 15 59 22 Pasture 0 2 16 61 21 Other Agricultural Comments and News County Agent Comments "Ninety percent of the county is in need of a rain. Everyone who can irrigate is pumping water. Some areas have been dry since the first week of July." -- Mack Young, Quitman "It has been two weeks since the last rain. Some yards are starting to show drought stress. The cotton is looking good except for some that does not want to straighten up after the wind storm two weeks ago." -- Stephen R. Winters, Grenada "Most of the county needs rain. Irrigation systems are being run at capacity. Non-irrigated cotton is wilting at mid-day because of shallow roots resulting from excessive rains during early season. The oldest corn is approaching black layer, but needs more moisture for higher yields. Soybeans that can be irrigated are receiving water, but non-irrigated fields are beginning to show signs of moisture stress." -- Ernie Flint, Carroll "Temperatures moderated during the past week, heating up somewhat Friday through Sunday. Soybeans are podding and corn is progressing well. Cattlemen are still very concerned about a short hay crop. Many are still on their first cutting due to wet weather. Calves are beginning to be readied for weaning and marketing. Some have already been marketed for winter and early spring. Timber is growing well this year. It is as green as it gets for late July in our area." -- Ed Williams, Oktibbeha "Recent rains are still delaying the total harvest of watermelons as well as preventing producers from cutting and baling hay. Producers have reported that they are two to three weeks behind in cutting and baling hay. Some hay has been lost due to heavy rains after being cut." -- Florieda K. Mason, Perry "There has been so much rain this growing season that there are some producers in the county just now putting out poly pipe. They just haven't needed to water until now. Crops are looking good overall, but the growth stages are so variable." -- Jimbo Burkhalter, Tallahatchie "We need a rain. Everybody who can will be watering today. Insect numbers increased last week." -- Don Respess, Bolivar "Bollworms are creating a need for spraying in cotton on a fairly big basis. Irrigation is in full swing on soybeans and cotton. Corn and grain sorghum are maturing rapidly. I expect corn and grain sorghum harvests to start in about two weeks." -- Tommy Baird, Sunflower "Some areas have received rain while others remain dry. Crops are being stressed by lack of moisture in many parts of the area since early season rains discouraged development of deep roots. This condition has also adversely affected uptake of fertilizers." -- Karen Benson, Attala "A break in the rain showers has allowed producers to put up summer hay. Corn silage harvest is all but complete, and the yields look to approach 12-14 tons per acre. Armyworms have been reported in the county, so producers will be on the lookout over the next few weeks." -- Richard Hay, Amite "Farmers are hustling to get hay off the ground to prevent further quality loss due to rain. Watermelons are playing out. Produce is still available by truck croppers." -- Perry Brumfield, Lincoln "Widely scattered afternoon thunderstorms continued to pop up in the early days of the week. Rainshowers have caused problems with summer hay harvest and slowed down corn silage harvest, but neither have come to a complete standstill. Corn silage harvest is approximately 80 percent complete with good yields being experienced by all producers. A few reports of fall armyworm damage in pastures are beginning to surface." -- Lamar Adams, Walthall" Hot weather is beginning to dry things out. Farmers are beginning to think about trying to cut some hay. Some fields are getting over mature since the rain did not allow any hay harvest. Cotton and peanuts look good. Cattle are enjoying plentiful grazing opportunities." -- Lee Taylor, Forrest "Farmers finally got a break in the weather and were able to get some work done in the field. Hay harvest resumed with the few days without rain we were glad to get. Cattle are in good shape with plenty of grass. Corn silage harvest should be completed this week." -- Chuck Grantham, Jones Weather Information Table Weather Summary from July 21, 2003 to July 27, 2003 for Mississippi Air Precipitation 4 Inch Soil Avg Temperature Weekly Rn Four Temperature Pan Max Min Avg Nrm DFN Total DFN Ds Weeks Max Min Avg Evap --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Upper Delta Charleston 82 0.00 -0.92 0 3.60 Cleveland 95 62 79 82 -3 0.07 -0.50 1 2.66 Tunica 92 64 79 82 -3 0.04 -0.70 2 2.59 102 75 86 0.29 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 95 62 79 82 -3 0.04 -0.83 1 2.95 102 75 86 0.29 2. North-Central Batesville 91 60 78 81 -3 0.00 -0.85 0 2.34 Calhoun City 91 59 76 81 -5 0.02 -0.87 1 2.27 Independence 89 59 76 81 -5 0.27 -0.53 1 2.62 Oxford 93 59 78 81 -3 0.06 -0.81 1 2.12 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 93 59 77 81 -4 0.09 -0.85 1 2.34 3. Northeast Booneville 90 63 76 80 -4 0.94 +0.04 2 3.81 Corinth City 82 1.43 +0.50 2 2.46 Iuka 92 54 73 78 -5 1.19 +0.14 2 3.20 Ripley 80 0.26 -0.73 2 3.49 Tupelo 92 63 79 0.10 1 2.63 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 92 54 76 80 -4 0.62 -0.33 2 3.28 4. Lower Delta Belzoni 82 0.00 -1.15 0 2.34 Rolling Fork 97 65 81 82 -1 0.34 -0.51 1 3.85 103 82 92 Stoneville 95 63 80 83 -3 0.00 -0.79 0 1.81 99 80 88 0.24 Yazoo City 93 63 79 82 -3 0.00 -0.92 0 1.45 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 97 63 80 82 -2 0.09 -0.87 0 2.36 103 80 90 0.24 5. Central Canton 94 61 78 82 -4 1.36 +0.52 1 2.06 Carthage 93 62 79 81 -2 0.40 -0.63 1 3.09 Lexington 80 Eupora 92 59 77 80 -3 0.11 -0.76 1 4.58 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 59 78 81 -3 0.62 -0.45 1 3.24 6. East-Central Aberdeen 93 63 78 81 -3 0.03 -0.79 1 3.65 0.21 Houston 91 55 75 80 -5 0.02 -0.79 1 2.03 Louisville 79 0.44 -0.76 2 6.43 State University 94 62 78 81 -3 0.09 -0.87 1 3.22 87 80 84 0.19 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 55 77 81 -4 0.15 -1.00 1 3.83 87 80 84 0.20 7. Southwest Crystal Springs 93 67 80 82 -2 1.58 +0.69 2 7.49 90 80 84 Natchez 91 67 79 82 -3 0.94 +0.05 2 3.40 Oakley 94 64 81 81 0 0.20 -0.64 1 0.94 99 83 92 Vicksburg 92 66 81 1.27 2 2.78 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 64 81 81 0 1.00 -0.05 2 3.65 99 80 88 8. South-Central Collins 81 1.90 +0.79 2 7.82 Columbia 93 69 81 82 -1 1.55 +0.30 3 7.01 Tylertown 91 68 80 81 -1 3.38 +2.05 3 14.09 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 93 68 80 81 -1 2.28 +1.05 3 9.64 9. Southeast Beaumont 93 61 79 1.73 3 10.73 Hattiesburg 92 66 79 82 -3 1.69 +0.39 3 12.16 Laurel 92 67 80 82 -2 2.07 +0.83 3 9.21 Newton 92 62 78 81 -3 2.33 +1.22 4 10.62 88 73 80 0.24 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 93 61 79 81 -2 1.96 +0.71 3 10.68 88 73 80 0.24 10. Coastal Bay St Louis 94 67 81 82 -1 3.94 +2.22 2 12.88 Gulfport 91 72 81 83 -2 0.87 -0.72 2 10.56 Pascagoula 81 1.29 -0.39 3 13.43 Poplarville 92 69 80 82 -2 3.93 +2.41 4 15.50 92 78 81 Waveland 92 71 81 82 -1 2.81 +1.33 2 13.87 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 67 81 82 -1 2.57 +1.08 3 13.20 92 78 81 State Averages 97 54 79 81 -2 0.95 -0.15 2 5.47 103 73 85 0.23 DFN = Departure from Normal.