Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather Released: Monday, 3PM August 30, 2004 Week Ending August 29, 2004 This report is best viewed with a monospace font. Issue MS-CW3504 Agricultural Summary According to the Mississippi Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 4.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending August 29, 2004. Harvesting activities were hampered by the precipitation that arrived in the state over the weekend. Warmer temperatures have helped cotton growth and farmers are hoping for decent returns once harvesting begins in a few weeks. Warm season forages continue to be harvested with seed bed preparation for winter forages already taking place. Soil moisture was rated 1 percent very short, 14 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 10 percent surplus. Item Event This Last 2003 5-Yr Very Week Week Avg Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Corn Dent 99 99 99 99 1 3 16 47 33 Mature 97 90 84 90 Harvested 56 40 35 50 Silage Harvested 98 96 99 94 Cotton Setting Bolls 100 100 99 100 2 7 23 48 20 Open Bolls 39 22 38 59 Rice Heading 100 100 99 97 0 1 11 57 31 Mature 60 40 44 48 Harvested 11 3 12 9 Sorghum Turning Color 100 97 99 99 0 1 17 68 14 Mature 90 75 82 85 Harvested 45 24 29 40 Soybeans Setting Pods 100 100 100 100 1 4 13 47 35 Turning Color 78 70 58 58 Shedding Leaves 62 50 41 41 Harvested 38 25 22 14 Hay Harvested (Warm Season) 76 74 86 83 5 18 25 40 12 Sweetpotatoes Harvested 1 8 37 44 10 Cattle 3 7 16 57 17 Pasture 4 10 19 54 13 Other Agricultural Comments and News County Agent Comments "Rains and cloudy weather continue to impede harvest and the maturing of cotton." -- Jerry Singleton, Leflore "Cooler weather has slowed forage growth. Armyworms have decreased in intensity on hay fields and pastures. Recent rains should make soil preparation for winter forages much easier." -- Houston Therrell, Rankin "Soil conditions remain too dry to support satisfactory plant growth. Fall armyworm pressure in pastures is very high with many acres of grass being destroyed. Many producers are electing not to spend the dollars necessary for insecticide treatments as they often fail to provide satisfactory control." -- Lamar Adams, Walthall "Rainfall has been spotty and very isolated in areas. Producers badly need rainfall to help improve pasture land used for grazing. Vegetable producers are in need of rainfall to provide the boost needed for fall vegetable production." -- Florieda K. Mason, Perry "Rain is spotty. We have had scattered showers, and some areas have received adequate moisture, while others are a bit short." -- Judith Breland, Stone "The scattered rains that fell this week were badly needed. Sweetpotatoes and soybeans needed water to finish out. Corn and soybean harvest are under way with respectable yields being cut. Almost all cotton fields are reddish/purple and suffering. Several viral diseases are being seen in cotton as well." -- Dr. Bill Burdine, Chickasaw "Rain Saturday stopped all harvesting. Rice yield reports have been good. A few leaves have been knocked off of cotton, but very few." -- Don Respess, Bolivar "It had been dry in most areas of the county until we received rain over the weekend. Cotton growth and development is slower than normal. Corn and soybean harvest should start soon." -- Melvin Oatis, Benton "The rains have slowed bean harvest, but we were back on track by Wednesday. We should meet August delivery. The next question will be if the rainy spell will cause any seed quality issues later." -- Stephen R. Winters, Grenada "Periodic rainfall delayed corn and soybean harvest. Most cotton is cutting out and early planted cotton should be safe from tarnished plant bug and bollworm/budworm damage." -- Jay Phelps, Pontotoc "Harvest resumed Tuesday after rainfall last week. Most all yields are reported as good to excellent. Cotton is opening, but no defoliation has taken place." -- Tommy Baird, Sunflower "Soybean and corn harvesting were going well until scattered heavy rains started in some areas last week. Since that time, harvesting has been very scattered. Corn fields are beginning to lodge as a result of rains, poor stalk strength, and disease; timely harvesting is critical in order to salvage normal yields this year. Rains and warmer weather have been beneficial to cotton, giving hope that later fields may have a fair chance to mature." -- Ernest Flint, Attala "Harvesting of soybeans have come to a halt because of the scattered heavy rains we have received over the last week. The warm weather and rain have been great for cotton, giving hope that the later fields will produce the needed yield." -- Kay Emmons, Montgomery "Corn harvest has slowed down due to the recent rains. Yields are running about 25 bu/acre above our all-time county high. Soybean harvest is going slow due to the rain last week but yields are running above normal. We still are treating for stink bugs in our later planted soybeans." -- Dr. Dennis B. Reginelli, Noxubee "Harvesting of Group IV soybeans is under way. Corn harvest started toward the end of the week until rain late on Saturday afternoon stopped the harvest." -- Mark Mowdy, Franklin "Hot weather and humid conditions persist. We have received thunderstorms in some part of the county every day. Lots of hay is being put up. Cotton and peanuts continue to look good. There is some resurgence of interest in harvesting grass seed; however, some harvested seed are light weight." -- Lee Taylor, Forrest "Rains early in the week delayed field operations, but were welcomed by those planting winter grazing crops. Some fall field operations were delayed, but they will resume this week." -- Victor Lee, Newton "Warm season forages continue to be harvested. Corn is now being harvested. Seed bed preparation began for planting winter forages. Deer hunters are going full speed planting wildlife food plots." -- Allen McReynolds, Wayne Weather Information Table Weather Summary from August 23, 2004 to August 29, 2004 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 78 2.37 +1.65 2 5.19 Cleveland 79 1.56 +1.18 2 2.59 Tunica 78 0.95 +0.40 1 1.40 0.29 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 79 1.63 +1.07 2 3.06 0.29 2. North-Central Hickory Flat 90 64 79 77 +2 0.61 -0.23 2 1.98 Calhoun City 90 67 79 78 +1 1.74 +1.02 4 4.01 Independence 90 63 79 78 +1 2.67 +1.97 4 3.54 Oxford 92 65 81 77 +4 1.46 +0.67 3 2.20 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 92 63 79 78 +1 1.62 +0.88 3 2.93 3. Northeast Booneville 91 66 78 77 +1 1.19 +0.42 5 2.00 Iuka 91 59 75 75 0 7.43 +6.56 4 8.78 Ripley 90 62 77 77 0 0.75 +0.08 2 2.23 Tupelo 92 66 78 1.96 3 3.58 Verona 79 1.82 +0.90 4 2.82 0.20 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 92 59 77 78 -1 2.83 +2.09 4 4.15 4. Lower Delta Moorhead 98 70 84 80 +4 0.35 -0.18 3 1.79 Rolling Fork 95 69 83 80 +3 0.71 +0.15 2 1.37 98 77 85 Stoneville 93 70 82 80 +2 1.20 +0.75 2 2.14 99 78 86 0.23 Yazoo City 94 68 81 81 0 0.79 +0.09 3 2.61 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 98 68 83 80 +3 0.76 +0.20 3 1.98 99 77 86 0.23 5. Central Canton 80 1.01 +0.36 3 2.91 Carthage 92 68 79 79 0 3.70 +2.93 3 9.16 Lexington 92 67 79 78 +1 1.55 +0.92 3 3.06 Eupora 92 65 79 78 +1 1.76 +1.07 3 4.28 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 92 65 79 79 0 2.34 +1.61 3 5.50 6. East-Central Aberdeen 91 69 79 78 +1 1.81 +1.15 5 2.69 0.13 Houston 91 65 79 77 +2 0.49 -0.25 5 3.17 Louisville 78 2.28 +1.61 5 3.85 State University 94 66 80 79 +1 3.19 +2.46 5 3.53 85 78 81 0.17 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 65 79 79 0 1.94 +1.20 5 3.31 85 78 81 0.15 7. Southwest Crystal Springs 93 69 81 80 +1 0.09 -0.79 1 3.15 91 80 85 Natchez 93 69 81 80 +1 1.06 +0.15 4 1.20 Oakley 94 68 82 79 +3 0.46 -0.38 3 4.35 94 79 85 Vicksburg 91 70 81 0.48 4 5.26 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 68 82 80 +2 0.52 -0.39 3 3.49 94 79 85 8. South-Central Collins 93 69 82 79 +3 0.69 -0.22 2 1.63 Columbia 94 70 83 80 +3 1.05 +0.07 1 6.09 Tylertown 93 72 82 80 +2 2.46 +1.48 2 7.80 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 69 82 80 +2 1.40 +0.42 2 5.17 9. Southeast Beaumont 95 70 81 2.27 4 3.00 Hattiesburg 94 71 82 81 +1 0.49 -0.56 3 3.26 Laurel 93 70 81 80 +1 2.41 +1.50 4 5.80 Newton 93 64 79 79 0 1.72 +0.89 3 3.85 88 73 79 0.16 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 95 64 81 80 +1 1.72 +0.88 4 3.98 88 73 79 0.16 10. Coastal Bay St Louis 81 0.23 -1.08 1 2.67 Gulfport 94 72 83 82 +1 0.18 -1.14 1 3.25 Poplarville 95 70 82 81 +1 0.18 -0.87 3 4.34 91 76 84 0.21 Waveland 92 72 83 81 +2 0.00 -1.35 0 1.96 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 95 70 83 81 +2 0.12 -1.16 1 3.18 91 76 84 0.21 State Averages 98 59 81 79 +2 1.50 +0.70 3 3.76 99 73 82 0.21 DFN = Departure from Normal.