Oklahoma crop weather, 07/16/2012 v.35 no.23

              United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Oklahoma Crop Weather
Oklahoma Field Office
Cooperating with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
P.O. Box 528804 · Oklahoma City, OK 73152-8804
(405) 522-6190 · FAX (405) 528-2296 · www.nass.usda.gov/ok
A combined contribution with Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Farm Service Agency and Oklahoma Mesonet
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Information provided by respondents on NASS surveys, will remain completely confidential, as required by
Federal law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.
Volume 35, Number 23
Weekly Summary for Jul 9-Jul 15
Issued July 16, 2012
Drought Conditions Expanding
Another week of hot and dry weather with a few localized showers did little to slow expanding drought conditions. The highest rainfall amount recorded during the week was 4.46 inches at Minco. Altus, Oklahoma recorded its 26 day over the century mark. The July 10th Drought Monitor showed 28 percent of the land in the state now categorized in severe drought compared with 11 percent the previous week, and the percentage of land moving into extreme drought increased by three points to 11 percent of the state. Despite the increasingly dry conditions, most crops were rated in fair to good condition, but continue to decline. In some parts of the state producers began to feed hay or were selling cattle early as pastures were grazed off. The North Central part of the state reported high grasshopper and tick levels. Topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies were rated mostly short to very short. There were 6.3 days suitable for field work.
Small Grains: Farmers continued to plow small grain fields with wheat and oats passing the 80 percent complete mark, and rye reaching 77 percent complete.
Row Crops: All row crops were rated in mostly fair to good condition, but continued to slip with increasingly dry conditions. Isolated showers provided only limited relief and reporters were noticing some variation in their counties as a result. Crop development was slowing with the dry conditions. The North Central district reported that grain sorghum and soybeans have a high degree of variation in stand appearance, and that the later planted stands may still do well if rain is received in the next week.
Corn silking reached 76 percent complete by week’s end and 39 percent of the crop had reached the dough stage. Sorghum headed reached 32 percent and seven percent was beginning to color. Soybean blooming was 29 percent complete by Sunday, four points behind last year, but two points ahead of average. Peanut pegging progressed rapidly with 61 percent completed by week’s end, a 22 percent gain during the week, but lagging the five-year average pace of 72 percent. Cotton squaring increased 12 points to 52 percent complete, and was slightly behind the five-year average of 55 percent. Cotton setting bolls was on the normal pace at nine percent.
Miscellaneous crops: The pace of the watermelon harvest was increasing with 36 percent of the crop reported harvested compared with 18 percent the previous week and the five-year average of 27 percent by this date.
Hay: Alfalfa condition ratings slipped another two points this week with 77 percent of the crop rated in fair to good condition. Other hay condition ratings were unchanged at 70 percent in fair to good condition. The third cutting of alfalfa increased 19 points to 70 percent completed and outpaced the five-year average of 40 percent completed. The second cutting of other hay reached 21 percent complete, and was ahead of the normal pace of seven percent.
Pasture and Livestock: Pasture and range condition ratings were down slightly with 62 percent rated in fair to good condition compared with 63 percent the previous week. Some areas were beginning to supplement hay or sell cattle early as pastures were grazed off. Livestock condition ratings were holding steady with 89 percent rated fair to good compared to 90 percent the previous week, and much better than the 71 percent rating last year at this time. Prices for feeder steers less than 800 pounds averaged $142 per cwt. Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds averaged $134 per cwt. Soil Moisture Conditions by Percent Week Ending Sunday, July 15, 2012 Moisture Rating Current Week Previous Week One Year Ago
Topsoil
Very Short 46 48 82
Short
45
46
16 Adequate 9 6 2
Surplus
0
0
0 Subsoil
Very Short
45
41
75 Short 44 45 22
Adequate
11
14
3 Surplus 0 0 0 Conditions by Percent For Week Ending Sunday, July 15, 2012 Commodity Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
Corn
4
16
42
37
1 Sorghum 2 21 44 33 0
Soybeans
5
24
50
21
0 Peanuts 0 2 19 74 5
Cotton
2
10
44
43
1 Alfalfa Hay 3 21 50 25 1
Other Hay
4
24
45
25
2 Livestock 0 6 38 51 5
Pasture and Range
10
28
47
15
0