la-crop-weather State Louisiana Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 21, 2004 LA-CW1104 Days suitable for fieldwork: 5.3 Soil moisture supplies: 2% short, 89% adequate and 9% surplus Field Crops Report Scattered rain at the beginning of the week slowed field activity. Once fields dried, farmers continued heavily planting of corn and rice. Farmers also continued plowing fields. Wheat is beginning to head with some signs of leaf rust. Sugarcane producers continued fertilizing, spraying for weeds and cultivating fields. Fruits, Vegetables, and Specialty Crops Report Citrus producers pruned trees and sprayed for insects and diseases. Vegetable producers began planting. Crawfish harvesting continues with excellent catches being reported due to the warm weather. Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report Recent rains have improved pasture and ryegrass conditions. Hay producers were fertilizing and spraying for weeds. Cattle producers are weaning fall calves and culling cows. Spring calving is also beginning. Crop Progress Table PERCENT OF PROGRESS Last CROP STAGE 2004 Week 2003 5 YR AVG Corn Planted 35 6 5 21 Rice Planted 13 2 5 9 Spring Plowing Plowing 28 16 28 42 Wheat Headed 4 0 1 14 Crop Condition Table CONDITIONS IN PERCENTAGES CROP VERY POOR POOR FAIR GOOD EXCELLENT Sugarcane 2 9 55 28 6 Wheat 0 9 31 58 2 Livestock 3 12 52 32 1 Vegetables 2 18 58 22 0 Pasture 5 19 50 26 0 Weather Information Table LOUISIANA OFFICE OF STATE CLIMATOLOGY, LSU, BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA LOUISIANA WEATHER SUMMARY FROM 3/15/04 TO 3/21/04 AIR PRECIPITATION 4 INCH SOIL TEMPERATURE WEEKLY FOUR YR.TO TEMPERATURE MAX MIN AVE NRM TOTAL WEEKS DATE NORM MAX MIN AVE 1. Northwest LSU-Bossier City 84 44 62 57 1.24 6.71 16.22 12.36 Minden 85 43 62 57 1.38 6.58 18.29 13.48 Mooringsport 86 49 65 MM 0.63 6.38 14.77 11.48 Extreme/Average 86 43 63 58 1.08 6.56 16.43 12.67 2. North-Central LSU-Calhoun 83 44 63 58 0.42 3.36 14.37 14.66 LTI-Ruston 84 43 62 57 0.33 4.11 14.82 14.24 ULM-Monroe (88) 43 63 58 0.25 3.58 15.28 15.21 Winnfield 88 44 66 58 0.42 4.13 18.08 14.37 Extreme/Average 88 43 64 58 0.36 3.80 15.64 14.55 3. Northeast Lake Providence 86 46 63 56 0.70 4.03 13.75 15.42 LSU-St Joseph 84 45 64 59 0.39 4.08 15.59 15.72 81 51 66 LSU-Winnsboro 84 45 64 58 0.23 5.18 17.06 14.98 73 54 62 Tallulah 82 46 63 58 0.20 4.67 14.38 15.52 Extreme/Average 86 45 64 58 0.44 4.43 15.47 15.38 81 51 64 4. West-Central Leesville 83 (42) 65 60 0.45 2.89 16.62 14.20 LSU-Rosepine 85 46 67 59 0.92 2.57 17.06 14.05 80 54 65 Natchitoches 87 49 66 59 0.53 2.71 17.08 13.94 Extreme/Average 87 42 67 59 0.73 2.64 17.07 13.95 80 54 65 5. Central Alexandria 85 48 66 60 0.94 3.57 16.04 15.07 Brusly 83 48 66 61 0.69 3.82 15.98 15.40 Bunkie 80 52 65 61 0.64 2.53 20.43 15.38 LSU-Alexandria 86 44 66 60 0.68 2.89 16.32 14.64 71 58 64 Extreme/Average 86 44 66 61 0.77 3.70 16.01 15.06 71 58 64 6. East-Central Bogalusa 85 45 66 60 0.85 4.88 12.54 16.53 LSU-Baton Rouge 81 45 66 61 0.89 4.98 16.24 14.45 LSU-Clinton 78 46 63 60 0.84 3.68 16.46 15.83 LSU-Hammond 83 43 65 60 1.57 5.68 14.30 16.01 76 53 66 Slidell 79 44 64 61 0.21 3.27 11.34 15.75 Extreme/Average 85 43 65 61 0.87 4.50 14.18 15.88 76 53 66 7. Southwest De Ridder 85 48 66 61 0.25 2.92 17.36 14.74 Jennings 80 53 66 61 1.62 2.45 17.15 13.15 80 60 67 LSU-Crowley 81 54 67 61 1.03 1.72 14.98 13.53 75 61 67 Extreme/Average 85 48 67 62 0.97 2.36 16.50 13.17 80 60 67 8. South-Central Donaldsonville 83 47 66 62 0.67 5.41 15.44 14.06 LSU-Jeanerette 81 50 66 61 0.73 5.43 13.47 12.58 Morgan City 78 54 66 62 0.09 1.89 7.24 13.57 Extreme/Average 83 47 66 62 0.50 4.24 12.05 13.34 9. Southeast Galliano 78 53 66 63 0.27 2.03 12.85 14.42 Houma 84 54 69 63 0.10 1.69 8.61 13.55 82 65 72 NO Audubon Park 82 54 67 64 0.45 3.43 12.08 13.92 Reserve 82 48 66 62 0.26 5.35 13.29 15.83 Extreme/Average 84 48 68 63 0.28 2.56 10.35 14.62 82 65 72 State State Averages 88 42 66 60 0.67 3.69 14.92 14.35 82 51 66 M = Missing ( ) = Extremes Yr. To Date = Through March 21, 2004