Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather

Released: Monday, 3PM June 26, 2006
Week Ending June 25, 2006

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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.