LA-WEATHER United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Louisiana Field Office Crop Weather Cooperating with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry and the Louisiana State University Ag Center Louisiana Field Office · 5825 Florida Blvd · Baton Rouge, LA 70806 (225) 922-1362 · (225) 922-0744 FAX www.nass.usda.gov/la Released: May 19, 2008 Volume 08 No. 11 Days suitable for fieldwork: 3.6 Soil moisture supplies: 1% very short, 3% short, 45% adequate and 51% surplus. Field Crops Report Heavy rains in the latter part of the week caused flooding of many fields. Farmers were evaluating their ability to replant many fields, including cotton, soybeans, and sorghum. There were some reports that heavy rains washed away rice levees. Where conditions permitted rice producers drained ponds, fertilized, continued weed control and sprayed for water weevils. Wheat producers delayed harvest in some areas due to rainfall which blew down wheat and flooded fields. Sugarcane producers fertilized and sprayed fields. There were a few reports of brown rust in sugarcane fields. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Vegetable producers harvested squash, beans, and greenhouse tomatoes. Some producers sprayed bell pepper fields to control insects. Crawfish farmers drained ponds. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Livestock producers applied limited amounts of fertilizers and herbicides to pastures, with the high cost of inputs and 2,4-D restrictions considered. Cattle producers worked calves, put bulls out with the herds and weaned fall calves. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Current Last 5 YR CROP STAGE Week Week 2007 AVG Corn Silked 1 0 14 3 Cotton Planted 89 78 85 86 Emerged 80 67 64 71 Hay First Cutting 36 33 37 36 Rice Planted 98 96 96 96 Emerged 94 90 89 92 Sorghum Planted 94 91 96 87 Emerged 91 75 91 77 Soybeans Planted 71 64 77 63 Emerged 62 52 64 52 Sweet Potatoes Planted 8 0 9 10 Winter Wheat Turning Color 99 93 95 91 Harvested 14 5 11 13 Land Preparation Spring plowing 99 97 98 98 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Corn 0 2 18 58 22 Cotton 0 3 34 59 4 Rice 0 4 18 72 6 Sorghum 0 1 28 63 8 Soybeans 3 8 36 49 4 Sugarcane 1 7 24 45 23 Wheat 0 8 20 54 18 Livestock 1 3 30 59 7 Vegetables 1 7 36 50 6 Pasture 1 5 34 55 5 LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 05/12/08 TO 05/18/08 AIR PRECIPITATION TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 80 46 67 72 10.31 11.41 25.28 21.20 Minden 81 44 65 71 3.80 4.29 19.76 23.41 Mooringsport 80 46 67 MM 4.77 7.17 21.83 18.65 Extreme/Average 81 44 66 72 6.29 7.62 22.29 21.65 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 83 44 66 72 2.80 5.76 17.27 24.38 Homer/Hill Farm 81 47 66 70 3.05 3.76 17.13 23.44 ULM-Monroe 82 45 66 72 2.76 4.46 16.18 25.98 Colmubia Lock 82 48 65 MM 3.88 5.67 19.00 26.67 Extreme/Average 83 44 66 72 3.12 4.91 16.86 24.61 3. Northeast Lake Providence 80 50 66 72 7.11 8.73 25.13 27.19 LSU-St Joseph 83 48 68 73 1.92 3.45 20.39 26.45 LSU-Winnsboro 83 45 69 72 4.10 5.01 21.59 25.66 Tallulah 80 51 66 72 3.69 6.03 24.31 26.57 Extreme/Average 83 45 67 73 4.24 6.07 23.28 26.37 4. West-Central Leesville 83 (43) 68 73 2.76 4.23 19.03 23.44 LSU-Rosepine 84 48 68 73 2.15 3.82 19.23 23.17 Natchitoches MM MM MM 73 M.MM M.MM MM.MM MM.MM Extreme/Average 84 43 68 73 2.46 4.03 19.13 23.32 5. Central Alexandria 84 51 68 74 2.66 3.89 22.77 24.90 Brusly 86 51 70 74 5.19 7.00 24.92 25.42 Bunkie 87 51 71 74 4.27 6.35 23.30 26.48 LSU-Alexandria 84 50 72 73 2.07 4.45 22.06 23.95 Extreme/Average 87 50 70 74 4.04 5.12 23.04 25.14 6. East-Central Franklinton 5SW LSU-Baton Rouge 85 54 71 74 5.42 7.69 24.27 24.32 LSU-Clinton 84 50 69 73 3.11 5.62 24.13 26.76 LSU-Hammond 83 47 70 74 8.28 11.07 29.30 26.24 Slidell 85 50 70 74 4.64 7.15 28.39 25.77 Extreme/Average 85 47 70 74 5.36 8.13 25.90 26.72 7. Southwest De Ridder 84 51 69 74 2.05 4.37 24.15 23.51 Jennings 85 54 71 74 4.00 7.19 25.17 21.73 LSU-Crowley 85 54 73 75 4.27 6.67 23.27 22.64 Extreme/Average 85 51 69 75 2.05 M.MM MM.MM 21.99 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 83 56 71 75 2.40 4.52 17.15 23.52 LSU-Jeanerette 86 56 72 74 4.32 5.42 18.26 21.56 Morgan City 86 56 72 74 0.99 4.80 15.15 22.34 Extreme/Average 86 56 72 75 2.57 4.97 17.71 22.52 9. Southeast Galliano (89) 60 74 75 3.15 7.42 25.06 23.87 Houma 87 55 73 76 1.17 3.20 13.79 22.63 Terrytown 3S 88 60 74 MM 2.83 8.46 29.02 MM.MM Reserve 87 53 71 74 1.75 4.95 20.56 25.64 Extreme/Average 89 53 73 76 2.23 6.01 22.11 24.01 State State Averages 89 43 69 74 3.49 5.83 21.47 24.49 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through May 18, 2008