Oklahoma crop weather, 10/15/2012, v.35 no.36

              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 36 Weekly Summary for Oct 8-Oct 14 Issued October 15, 2012
Emerging Crops Receive Rain
Storms travelled through Oklahoma Friday and Saturday bringing an inch
of rain on average. Areas in central and eastern Oklahoma received very
heavy rains, while much of western Oklahoma was without significant
precipitation. Oilton recorded 4.62 inches of rain, while six Mesonet
stations received none. Strong winds caused mostly minor damage, but
severe wind gusts as high as 80 mph in Ringling were recorded on
Saturday. Overall the rain was beneficial to wheat and other fall-planted
crops, as well as for operators still waiting to plant small grains. An early
freeze the previous week and overnight into the past Monday dropped
temperatures to as low as 26 degrees. Freeze damage to struggling
soybeans was reported. Harvest of row crops continued and was nearing
completion for corn. Fifty-five percent of topsoil moisture was rated poor to
very poor and two percent was rated surplus due to the heavy rains over
the weekend. Subsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short to very
short, but 15 percent was rated adequate, compared to 11 percent the
week prior. There were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork.
Small Grains: Much of the major wheat planting areas received only light rains, but central and northeastern Oklahoma received heavier
rains that will benefit small grains in the ground. Wheat seedbed preparation was nearly complete at 96 percent. Three quarters of the wheat
crop was planted by the end of the week, six points ahead of normal progress, and 42 percent of the crop had emerged. Rye planting
reached 95 percent complete by Sunday and 75 percent had emerged, 11 points ahead of the five-year average. Oat seedbed preparation
was three fourths completed and 32 percent was planted by week’s end. Fifteen percent of oats had emerged, on-track with normal
progress.
Canola planting was 89 percent complete by Sunday and 52 percent had emerged, 25 points ahead of the previous year.
Row Crops: Soybeans and cotton continued to be rated mostly poor to very poor while peanuts were rated mostly good. The corn harvest
was 91 percent complete, six points ahead of normal. Sorghum coloring reached 93 percent complete and 77 percent was mature, 18
points ahead of the five-year average. The sorghum harvest was 55 percent complete by Sunday, 23 points ahead of normal. Half of all
soybeans were in the mature stage, and 18 percent had been harvested by week’s end. Peanuts in the mature state reached 84 percent by
Sunday. Peanuts dug reached 39 percent complete last week, and 23 percent were combined. Cotton plants with bolls opening reached 89
percent and 15 percent was harvest by the end of the week, five points ahead of normal.
Hay: Alfalfa hay conditions were rated mostly fair to
poor. The fourth cutting of alfalfa was 66 percent
complete as was the second cutting of other hay. Hay
cutting was winding down and supplies were still low in
much of the state.
Pasture and Livestock: Conditions of pasture and
range continued to be rated mostly poor to very poor.
Livestock conditions were rated mostly good to fair,
despite the limited availability of grasses. Prices for
feeder steers less than 800 pounds averaged $145 per
cwt. Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds averaged
$135 per cwt.
Soil Moisture Conditions by Percent
Week Ending Sunday, October 14, 2012
Moisture Rating Current
Week
Previous
Week
One Year
Ago
Topsoil
Very Short 22 28 35
Short 33 33 33
Adequate 43 39 31
Surplus 2 0 1
Subsoil
Very Short 49 58 72
Short 36 31 20
Adequate 15 11 7
Surplus 0 0 1
Conditions by Percent
For Week Ending Sunday, October 14, 2012
Commodity Very
Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent
Rye 1 3 42 49 5
Soybeans 28 36 27 8 1
Peanuts 4 5 26 60 5
Cotton 30 47 14 9 0
Alfalfa Hay 23 34 32 10 1
Livestock 1 14 46 35 4
Pasture and Range 31 39 24 6 0