Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather Released: Monday, 3PM June 26, 2006 Week Ending June 25, 2006 This report is best viewed with a monospace font. Issue MS-CW2606 Agricultural Summary According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service in Mississippi, there were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, June 25, 2006. Scattered rainfall during the week helped many row crops that were suffering from drought-like conditions. In spite of the rain that fell for many areas, there were still others that did not receive much, if any, rain. Livestock are responding well to the improving pasture conditions. Minimal amounts of insecticides have been required at this time. Soil moisture was rated 41 percent very short, 36 percent short, and 23 percent adequate. Item Event This Last 2005 5-Yr Very Week Week Avg Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Corn Silked 92 80 75 79 6 16 32 39 7 Dough 40 10 11 23 Cotton Emerged 100 100 100 100 3 9 25 52 11 Squaring 72 60 62 63 Setting Bolls 16 4 3 8 Peanuts Pegging 15 5 -- -- 0 3 18 50 29 Rice Heading 5 -- 2 2 1 4 15 69 11 Sorghum Heading 34 13 13 24 0 4 13 80 3 Soybeans Planted 100 100 100 100 2 12 27 48 11 Emerged 100 99 99 99 Blooming 80 68 63 50 Setting Pods 46 20 29 19 Wheat Mature 100 100 100 100 0 4 36 37 23 Harvested 99 98 96 93 Hay Harvested (Cool) 99 98 100 100 (Warm) 34 29 44 40 8 24 25 40 3 Sweetpotatoes Planted 70 61 60 70 0 5 12 71 12 Watermelons Harvested 40 20 27 19 0 0 47 50 3 Blueberries 0 4 27 61 8 Cattle 2 17 30 39 12 Pasture 17 30 26 25 2 Other Agricultural Comments and News County Agent Comments "The rain last week helped but it ranged from 0.4 to 3.0 inches. We could still use a good, general rain. Plant bugs are picking up in some fields of cotton. We should have our first blooms this week." -- Stephen R. Winters, Grenada "Crops are looking better thanks to scattered showers. Pastures are slowly responding to the needed rain but are still somewhat short." -- Patrick Poindexter, Alcorn "Rains this past week gave most farmers with irrigation systems some relief and it helped the non-irrigated crops greatly. However, the rain came too late to help the "sand blow" areas. Cotton layby herbicides continue to go out. Insect pressure remains low with limited insecticide applications being made at this time." -- Jerry Singleton, Leflore "Rain has been scattered." -- Kay Emmons, Montgomery "Sweet potato planting is mostly idle waiting on rainfall. We are running out of time to complete planting. Many soybeans are dropping leaves from the lack of moisture. This weekend brought scattered showers but not close to what is needed. There have been a few spider mite flare-ups in cotton." -- Dr. Bill Burdine, Chickasaw "Some parts of the county received rain last week, but not all. Growers continue to irrigate where we did not get rain." -- Don Respess, Bolivar "There was rain over part of the county Friday morning. Some parts of the county need a rain badly. Cotton is still holding up. Soybeans and corn in many areas are suffering." -- Jimbo Burkhalter, Tallahatchie "We had excellent weather last week with scattered showers. There have not been any major problems in fields." -- Melvin Oatis, Benton "Crop conditions vary from poor to excellent on individual farms and between geographic areas. Some cotton is receiving lay-by herbicide applications." -- Jay Phelps, Pontotoc "Most of the county received about an inch of rain last week. This helped tremendously. We were able to finish our soybean planting but we are still extremely dry. The hay crop is going to be a disaster unless we get some more rain soon." -- Danny Owen, Tishomingo "Showers and thunderstorms dropped one to one and a half inches of rain in some areas. Dry weather is hurting non-irrigated crops. Insect pressure in cotton and soybeans is light. Sweet corn is being harvested. Producers are watering soybeans for the third time." -- Tommy Baird, Sunflower "Although most of the area has received rain to some degree, much more will be needed by most fields. Significant yield losses are likely in both corn and soybeans. Many fields were stressed beyond full recovery prior to the arrival of rains. Cotton has withstood the drought well so far, although fruiting has just now begun in most of the crop." -- Ernest Flint, Attala "Pastures and hay fields are looking much better with some new growth stimulated by the recent rainfall." -- Houston Therrell, Rankin "Much needed rains over the weekend came as a welcomed surprise. Hay fields, pastures, ponds, gardens and yards have been given a much needed boost." -- Ruby D. Rankin, Kemper "Dry weather is the main problem facing producers. Some scattered rain showers were received last week that gave limited relief. Producers really need a rain to start growth on the second cutting of hay and to develop cotton, corn and soybean crops." -- Ed Williams, Oktibbeha "The wheat harvest is completed. The corn silage harvest is, weather permitting, set to begin this week. Hay is being fed to some of the cattle herds. Pastures are short and supplementation with hay is necessary in several areas." -- Bill Maily, Hinds "Soil conditions are very dry and pastures cannot provide adequate grazing at this point. Farmers have already started feeding hay. Corn crops and truck crops are suffering. Rain is needed." -- Perry Brumfield, Lincoln "Dry conditions persist." -- Mark Gillie, Greene "Recent rainfall has had an impact on grazing for cattle as pastures are getting some of the moisture needed for growth. The rainfall was beneficial to cotton and peanut producers since they were late planting their crops." -- Florieda K. Mason, Perry "Scattered thunderstorms throughout the county were a big help. There was one to two inches of rain in various parts of the county. This rain should help corn, hay, blueberries, soybean and home lawns. More than 70% of home lawns in the county were suffering." -- Allen McReynolds, Wayne Weather Information Table Weather Summary from June 19, 2006 to June 25, 2006 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 Cleveland 95 68 82 80 +2 2.36 +1.27 4 2.45 Lambert 95 67 80 1.75 +0.65 2 3.50 Tunica 80 0.60E-0.58 3 2.95E --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 95 67 81 80 +1 1.57 +0.45 3 2. North-Central Calhoun City 94 66 79 78 +1 0.08 -0.97 2 1.20 Hickory Flat 77 0.66 -0.39 1 2.48 Independence 91 65 77 78 -1 3.19 +2.12 3 4.41 Oxford 94 66 79 78 +1 0.78 -0.25 1 2.47 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 94 65 78 3. Northeast Booneville 97 69 82 77 +5 0.46 -0.52 3 2.02 Iuka 75 1.34 +0.49 2 2.06 Ripley 94 65 79 77 +2 0.83 -0.25 1 2.41 Tupelo 97 69 83 0.44 1 1.20 Verona 98 57 81 79 +2 1.01 -0.02 2 2.47 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 98 57 81 78 +3 0.69 -0.30 2 1.90 4. Lower Delta Moorhead 95 69 82 80 +2 1.18 +0.16 5 1.99 Rolling Fork 97 67 83 80 +3 2.42E+1.44 2 3.98E Stoneville 96 70 84 81 +3 1.24 +0.33 3 1.81 Yazoo City 93 63 80 80 0 0.80E-0.11 1 1.40E --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 97 63 83 81 +2 1.61 +0.63 3 2.90 5. Central Canton 95 66 81 80 +1 1.88 +1.18 2 2.74 Carthage 96 67 82 79 +3 0.99E+0.22 4 1.31E Eupora 96 66 80 78 +2 1.11 +0.20 2 2.07 Lexington 96 65 80 78 +2 0.84 -0.14 3 1.98 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 96 65 80 79 +1 1.21 +0.30 3 1.65 6. East-Central Aberdeen 97 69 82 78 +4 0.84 -0.14 3 1.14 Houston 95 65 80 77 +3 0.44 -0.74 1 0.69 Philadelphia 98 69 82 79 +3 1.00E+0.09 1 1.68E State University 98 60 79 79 0 1.53 +0.61 4 2.07 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 98 60 80 79 +1 0.94 -0.05 3 1.30 7. Southwest Crystal Springs 98 67 83 80 +3 0.25 -1.03 1 1.19 Natchez 95 68 81 80 +1 0.25 -0.80 2 1.32 Oakley 97 62 81 79 +2 0.45 -0.62 2 2.46 Vicksburg 95 69 81 1.66 3 1.84 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 98 62 82 80 +2 0.35 -0.70 2 1.19 8. South-Central Collins 98 69 82 79 +3 1.10 +0.19 2 1.58 Columbia 99 70 84 80 +4 0.27 -0.89 1 0.27 Tylertown 100 67 82 80 +2 1.42 +0.24 4 1.48 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 100 67 83 80 +3 0.93 -0.13 2 1.53 9. Southeast Hattiesburg 80 0.68 -0.33 3 1.85 Laurel 99 69 83 79 +4 1.04 +0.11 3 1.72 Newton 98 66 81 78 +3 0.78 -0.15 2 2.34 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 99 66 82 79 +3 0.91 -0.04 3 2.03 10. Coastal Gulfport 95 69 82 81 +1 1.12 -0.08 3 1.62 Pascagoula 3 NE 79 0.00 Picayune 95 71 83 80 +3 1.00E-0.18 1 1.00E --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Extreme/Average 95 69 82 81 +1 1.06 -0.10 2 State Averages 100 57 82 79 +3 0.99 -0.02 3 1.74 DFN=Departure form Normal.