Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather Released: Monday, 3PM April 7, 2003 Week Ending April 6, 2003 This report is best viewed with a monospace font. Issue MS-CW1403 Agricultural Summary According to the Mississippi Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending April 6, 2003. Severe thunderstorms with very heavy rain and scattered hail will halt field operations for a few days. A wide belt through central Mississippi was particularly hard hit. Soil moisture was rated 54 percent adequate and 46 percent surplus. Item Event This Last 2002 5-Yr Very Week Week Avg Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Corn Planted 70 27 38 53 -- -- -- -- -- Emerged 23 2 16 28 Rice Planted 6 -- 1 5 -- -- -- -- -- Sorghum Planted 1 -- 0 4 -- -- -- -- -- Soybeans Planted 9 2 0 5 -- -- -- -- -- Emerged 2 -- 0 1 Wheat Jointing 75 58 59 76 1 7 45 43 4 Heading 3 -- 5 15 Watermelons Planted 51 22 38 29 -- -- -- -- -- Cattle 2 7 27 53 11 Pasture 2 15 34 43 6 Short Adequate Surplus Hay Supply 19 71 10 Feed Grain 11 85 4 Other Agricultural Comments and News County Agent Comments "Weekend rain stopped all planting and ground preparation. The 1 3/4 inches of rain we received will help the rice that had been planted. Early planted corn and soybeans are coming up and looking good." -- Don Respess, Bolivar "Producers were able to get some soybeans and corn planted this week. We received 1 to 2 inches of rain over the weekend, and that will keep producers out of the fields for the upcoming week." -- Anthony Bland, Tunica "Recent wet weather has hampered fieldwork in most cases. Farmers are ready to start planting as soon as field conditions permit." -- Patrick Poindexter, Alcorn "The heavy rains that we received on Sunday will stop fieldwork for most of the week." -- Andy Braswell, Leflore "The corn crop is being planted 2-3 weeks later than established recommended planting dates. Although this may not cause severe problems with regard to temperatures and moisture, it may cause the crop to be more susceptible to the Southwestern Corn Borer. If the pattern of increase in this insect continues this year as it has in the past 2-3 years, it could mean significant problems with the pests this year." -- Pam Lee, Carroll "Producers used this week to catch up on corn planting. Hybrid bermuda grass is showing some frost damage from a couple of weeks ago." -- Mark Mowdy, Franklin "Because of the frost during the earlier part of the week, one watermelon grower is replanting about 30% of his crop." -- Thomas Brewer, Jefferson Davis "Farmers were in the fields for about 5 days, but rains Friday and Sunday night have halted all fieldwork. Rain Sunday night averaged about 1 to 1-1/2 inches." -- Mack Young, Quitman "Sunshine and 10-to-20 MPH winds dried the ground out during the week. Burndown looks good and is getting close in most fields to allow tillage. De-worming cattle, lice control, fly tags, and clean-up in feeding areas seems to be the practice for cattlemen." -- Jimbo Burkhalter, Tallahatchie "Producers were busy planting corn and applying burndown herbicides to fields. Rain delayed all fieldwork over the weekend." -- Melvin Oatis, Benton "Corn planting is about done and soybean planting is in full force. Burndowns put out in the last 3 weeks are working very slowly." -- Stephen Winters, Grenada "Producers were able to get in a few days of fieldwork last week before the rain came. Corn planting has just begun, but replanting is a good possibility. Wheat and pastures are responding to the good growing conditions. Vegetable planting has been limited." -- Dalton G. Garner, Prentiss "Corn planting is almost complete. Early soybeans are being planted, and a great deal of land is being burned down or fields cultivated to get ready for planting." -- Tommy Baird, Sunflower "This has been a good week for corn planting and other fieldwork. Pastures are also looking good after the rain." -- Otis L. Davis, Madison "Corn is being planted at a record rate; however, rain is forecast." -- Kay Emmons, Montgomery "At present 10-1/2 inches of rainfall have occurred in the last 24 hours." -- Anita Webb, Scott "This is the first good week we've had in some time to do any extended fieldwork. However, we had a heavy rain last night that will slow fieldwork down." -- Stacy Brown, Monroe "Corn planting is continuing with the drier weather we have had the last two weeks. Baleage and haylage are being put up." -- Richard Hay, Amite "A tornado dropped down on the west side of Lincoln County, causing severe damage to trees and homes last night. Rains have left farming activities nearly impossible for the moment." -- Perry Brumfield, Lincoln "Essentially, we have finished up corn planting. The first soybean seed went in this week, but weekend showers held planting to a few hundred acres. Wheat looks good, as do most pastures." -- Terry Rector, Warren "Warm, sunny days all week allowed pasture fertilization. Ryegrass hay harvest and corn planting are proceeding in full swing. Hundreds of acres of ryegrass were harvested for bale silage this week as producers took advantage of ideal weather conditions. Beef and dairy producers are fertilizing their perennial pastures of bahiagrass and bermudagrass in preparation for spring and summer grazing/hay production. Roughly ten percent of our corn for silage acres were planted this week as producers hit the fields on higher ground that was dry enough for soil preparation. Heavy rains moved into our area Sunday evening and are continuing this morning to further hinder corn planting and hay harvest operations. Many dairy producers are greatly reducing their corn acreage this year due to budget constraints not allowing them to invest in the crop. Tough times lie ahead if summer weather conditions do not allow optimal grass growth and milk production." -- Lamar Adams, Walthall "Soils were just getting dry enough to do fieldwork. Some corn has been planted and land for cotton and peanuts is being broken up. Cattle are looking better although some are still a little thin. Planted pines are growing well. Hay supplies are holding up." -- Lee Taylor, Forrest "Soils were beginning to dry out and farmers were just being able to get into the fields for planting." -- Walter Walker, Jackson "Rain Sunday afternoon, Sunday night and Monday morning has brought all field operations to a halt. Strong straight line winds up-rooted trees around the county and blew branches and limbs down. County schools are closed today as a result. Part of Decatur is still without electrical power this morning." -- Victor Lee, Newton "Ryegrass pastures continue to excel with the improvement of the weather conditions." -- Billy Joe Lee, Pearl River "Frost and temperatures below 32 degrees for 6 hours caused damage to pasture grasses, emerging corn and watermelon. Early spring vegetables also have been damaged from this late frost. This damage will have an affect on pasture grasses, corn and watermelon crops. Pasture grasses have the potential for recovery, but some corn and watermelon crops in extremely low areas will have to be replanted due to long exposure to temperatures below 32 degrees and frost." -- Florieda K. Mason, Perry Weather Information Table Weather Summary from March 31, 2003 to April 6, 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 59 0.32 -1.08 1 2.42 Cleveland 78 31 60 58 +2 0.00 -1.26 0 2.34 Tunica 58 0.00 -1.33 0 3.69 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 78 31 60 59 +1 0.11 -1.15 0 2.38 2. North-Central Batesville 57 0.20 -1.07 1 2.82 Calhoun City 77 28 59 58 +1 0.63 -0.70 1 2.61 Independence 76 29 58 57 +1 0.28 -0.88 1 2.92 Oxford 78 28 60 57 +3 0.70 -0.56 1 3.37 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 78 28 59 58 +1 0.45 -0.81 1 2.93 3. Northeast Booneville 76 27 57 57 0 0.98 -0.31 1 4.68 Corinth City 59 1.18 -0.10 2 4.15 Iuka 75 22 54 54 0 0.60 -0.71 1 4.09 Ripley 56 0.51 -0.82 2 3.45 Tupelo 0.40 1 3.22 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 76 22 56 58 -2 0.73 -0.59 1 3.92 4. Lower Delta Belzoni 82 38 64 60 +4 0.03 -1.36 1 2.01 77 53 68 Rolling Fork 82 41 64 60 +4 0.14 -1.25 1 1.33 77 53 68 Stoneville 80 35 62 60 +2 0.00 -1.30 0 2.31 76 49 65 0.28 Yazoo City 61 0.30 -1.19 1 1.16 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 82 35 63 61 +2 0.12 -1.14 1 1.70 77 49 67 0.28 5. Central Canton 80 28 62 61 +1 0.12 -1.28 1 2.34 Carthage 81 28 62 60 +2 0.00 -1.40 0 1.76 Lexington 78 27 59 59 0 0.43 -0.93 1 1.58 Eupora 78 28 60 58 +2 0.02 -1.40 1 2.33 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 81 27 61 61 0 0.14 -1.19 1 2.00 6. East-Central Aberdeen 78 32 59 58 +1 0.00 -1.32 0 3.15 0.18 Houston 77 23 58 57 +1 0.00 -1.36 0 2.36 Louisville 77 27 60 58 +2 0.22 -1.23 1 2.85 State University 78 32 61 59 +2 0.30 -1.09 1 3.20 69 51 60 0.17 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 78 23 59 60 -1 0.13 -1.27 1 2.89 69 51 60 0.17 7. Southwest Crystal Springs 81 32 60 62 -2 0.05 -1.39 1 3.04 76 50 65 Natchez 79 32 62 63 -1 0.00 -1.51 0 5.17 Oakley 81 32 63 60 +3 0.05 -1.42 2 1.84 74 53 65 Vicksburg 81 38 63 0.02 1 2.23 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 81 32 62 63 -1 0.03 -1.29 1 3.07 76 50 65 8. South-Central Collins 80 30 61 61 0 0.13 -1.25 3 2.49 Columbia 82 32 62 62 0 0.16 -1.30 2 2.17 Tylertown 82 30 60 63 -3 0.26 -1.09 1 2.19 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 82 30 61 63 -2 0.18 -1.15 2 2.28 9. Southeast Beaumont 85 28 59 0.00 0 2.81 Hattiesburg 83 28 61 62 -1 0.20 -1.18 2 3.09 Laurel 82 31 62 61 +1 0.01 -1.28 1 1.95 Newton 79 27 56 59 -3 0.13 -1.34 2 3.62 68 46 57 0.20 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 85 27 59 62 -3 0.09 -1.23 1 2.87 68 46 57 0.20 10. Coastal Bay St Louis 82 32 59 63 -4 1.74 +0.37 1 3.46 Gulfport 79 35 63 65 -2 0.62 -0.60 2 2.94 Pascagoula 75 32 59 62 -3 0.13 -1.02 2 2.09 Poplarville 80 31 61 63 -2 0.20 -1.14 3 2.95 57 68 Waveland 79 32 61 63 -2 1.87 +0.40 1 4.22 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 82 31 61 65 -4 0.91 -0.25 2 3.13 57 68 State Averages 85 22 60 61 -1 0.25 -1.05 1 2.70 46 63 0.21 DFN = Departure from Normal.