Oklahoma crop weather, 09/04/2012, v. 35 no.30

              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
-over-
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Federal law. NASS safeguards the confidentiality of all responses, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified.
Volume 35, Number 30 Weekly Summary for Aug 27-Sep 2 Issued September 4, 2012
Rising Temperatures
Only the furthest eastern part of the state received any significant rainfall
from the remnants of Isaac this past week. Most of the state was without
any measurable rainfall and temperatures rose from the previous week.
Average high temperatures were in the mid to upper 90s and the high for
the week was 107 in Alva on Sunday. According to the August 30th
Drought Monitor, the area classified with exceptional drought was reduced
from the previous week, but 90 percent of the state was still in an extreme
to exceptional drought. Significant progress was made in seedbed
preparation for fall planting, but producers were waiting for moisture to
plant. Harvest of corn and sorghum continued ahead of normal progress.
Some producers were baling grain sorghum for hay due to the drought.
Livestock producers were still low on hay and pasture, and were in need
of rain to refill ponds and allow for the planting of cool season forage and
small grains for grazing over the next few weeks. Topsoil and subsoil
moisture continued to be rated mostly very short. There were 6.2 days
suitable for field work.
Small Grains: Progress was made in small grain seedbed preparation, but was still significantly behind normal. Plowing of both wheat and
rye ground was 93 percent complete, and 24 percent of seed preparation was complete by Sunday, 26 points behind normal. Oat plowing
was 94 percent complete and 13 percent of seedbed preparation for oats was complete, 24 points behind the five-year average.
Seedbed preparation was complete on 44 percent of canola fields by Sunday, just four points behind last year’s progress.
Row Crops: Conditions for corn, sorghum and soybeans were rated mostly fair to poor, while cotton was rated mostly poor to very poor.
Corn dent was reported in 94 percent of the crop and 70 percent was mature, 15 points ahead of normal. The corn harvest was 44 percent
complete by the end of the week, 18 points ahead of the five-year average. Sorghum headed reached 84 percent complete and 59 percent
of the crop was coloring, 17 points ahead of normal. Sorghum mature reached 34 percent complete by week’s end, and one fifth of the
sorghum crop was harvested, ahead of a normal year. Soybeans blooming reached 90 percent complete and 68 percent of the crop was
setting pods, six points behind the five-year average. Ninety-two percent of peanuts were setting pods by Sunday, and 19 percent of the
crop was mature. Eighty percent of cotton plants were setting bolls by the end of the week and 20 percent had bolls opening.
The watermelon harvest was 93 percent complete by week’s end, on track with the five-year average.
Hay: Conditions continued to be rated mostly poor to
very poor. The third cutting of alfalfa was 91 percent
complete and a fourth cutting of alfalfa was 39 percent
complete by Sunday, 23 points behind normal. The
second cutting of other hay reached 55 percent
complete, four points ahead of the five-year average.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and
range continued to be rated mostly poor to very poor.
Livestock operators were looking forward to the
possibility of fall plantings and cool season forages,
while they continued to supplement and hay their herds.
Livestock conditions were rated mostly good to fair.
Prices for feeder steers less than 800 pounds averaged
$141 per cwt. Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds
averaged $133 per cwt.
Soil Moisture Conditions by Percent
Week Ending Sunday, September 2, 2012
Moisture Rating Current
Week
Previous
Week
One Year
Ago
Topsoil
Very Short 58 57 80
Short 34 35 19
Adequate 8 8 1
Surplus 0 0 0
Subsoil
Very Short 70 73 87
Short 26 22 13
Adequate 4 5 0
Surplus 0 0 0
Conditions by Percent
For Week Ending Sunday, September 2, 2012
Commodity Very
Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
Corn 17 30 30 22 1
Sorghum 27 33 32 8 0
Soybeans 24 40 25 11 0
Peanuts 2 3 25 66 4
Cotton 22 48 19 11 0
Alfalfa Hay 34 32 23 10 1
Other Hay 32 40 23 4 1
Livestock 3 13 49 32 3
Pasture and Range 43 37 17 3 0