Georgia Crop Weather

Week Ending Date
September 18, 2005

                         DRY CONDITIONS PERSIST
The dry weather experienced by most of the State continued through the final 
full week of summer, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service.  
Current dry conditions are in stark contrast to the overall wet conditions 
Georgia experienced most of the summer.  Overall, soil moisture conditions were 
rated 31 percent very short, 49 percent short, 19 percent adequate, and 
1 percent surplus.

The lack of rainfall continued to be a major problem for Georgia farmers this 
week.  Dry conditions could adversely affect the quality of cotton and peanuts.  
In the case of peanuts, the dry weather has increased the disease pressure.  
Both crops were progressing, however, with cotton defoliating and peanuts being 
dug regularly.  Soybeans were being damaged by the dry and hot weather as the 
pods filled.  Hay growers have mixed feelings about the dry conditions.  The dry 
weather helps during the harvest, but slows the growth of the remaining crop.

Other activities included corn harvest, commercial vineyard harvest, irrigation 
to combat dry conditions, and routine care of livestock and pastures.  Some 
farmers have already begun feeding hay to cattle.  The small grains crop is 
running behind, as growers are waiting for rainfall to plant. County Extension 
Agents reported an average of 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork.

Crop Progress Table
                            Sep 18, 2005    Prev Week    Prev Year   5 Year Avg
Corn, Harvested for Grain        75            59            83         83
Soybeans, Setting Pods           99            96           100         99
Soybeans, Dropping Leaves        23            13            34         29
Sorghum, Harvested for Grain     31            25            35         33
Cotton, Bolls Open               54            35            75         71
Cotton, Harvested                 1             0             4          6
Apples, Harvested                22            15            34         38
Peanuts, Dug                     12             5            12         18
Peanuts, Combined                 5             0             7         10
Rye, Planted                      2             1             7          6
Other Small Grains, Planted       1             0             4          4

Crop Condition Table
September 18, 2005
Crop        Very Poor   Poor    Fair    Good    Excellent
                       --Percentage--
Soybeans        3         9      32      52         4
Sorghum         3         7      42      44         4
Cotton          2         7      31      50        10
Pasture         3        18      39      37         3
Apples          0         9      29      53         9
Hay             1        11      45      40         3
Peanuts         2         9      34      46         9
Pecans          0         6      38      48         8

Pasture Condition Table - District* Level
September 18, 2005
            Very Poor    Poor    Fair    Good    Excellent
                       --Percentage--
Dist 1(NW)      0          6      27      65          2
Dist 2(NC)     10         18      30      41          1
Dist 3(NE)      0         23      45      32          0
Dist 4(WC)     10          7      35      41          7
Dist 5(C)       2         29      43      22          4
Dist 6(EC)      2         15      38      42          3
Dist 7(SW)      2         12      44      41          1
Dist 8(SC)      3         24      31      39          3
Dist 9(SE)      0          7      55      35          3
*A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia 
Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at
http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf.

Soil Moisture Table
                Sep 18, 2005    Prev Year      5 Year Avg
                            --Percentages-- 
Very Short          31             0               7
Short               49             0              25
Adequate            19            34              49
Surplus              1            66              19

Soil Moisture Table - District Level
September 18, 2005
              Very Short    Short    Adequate    Surplus
                      --Percentages--
Dist 1(NW)        7          56         37          0
Dist 2(NC)       15          51         34          0
Dist 3(NE)       23          54         23          0
Dist 4(WC)       36          41         23          0
Dist 5(C)        43          49          8          0
Dist 6(EC)       34          48         10          8
Dist 7(SW)       48          39         13          0
Dist 8(SC)       38          50         12          0
Dist 9(SE)       13          58         28          1

Weather Information Table
        GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY     
                               SEPTEMBER 18, 2005 1/
                                                    2005
                Air Temperature             Precipitation Totals
                Extreme Weekly    Rain      30      60            Soil
Location        Max Min  AvG   Weekly Day   Day     Day    Season Temp
ALMA            95  63   79    0.00    0    1.96     6.48  37.30   80
ALPHARETTA      92  59   74    0.00    0    3.68    12.15  51.13   77
ARLINGTON       95  60   76    0.00    0    3.41     8.26  47.83   82
ATTAPULGUS      94  57   76    0.00    0    2.24     8.69  51.37   83
JACKSONVILLE    94  61   77    0.00    0    2.07     5.76  37.51   82
JONESBORO       92  59   75    0.01    1    2.66     7.70  44.97   76
LAFAYETTE       91  56   73    0.74    2    2.73     7.80  35.57   77
MCRAE           97  58   76    0.00    0    2.54     6.52  32.46   83
MIDVILLE        95  63   78    0.00    0    0.57    10.29  38.17   84
NAHUNTA         96  58   79    0.00    0    4.78     8.71  38.61   82
NEWTON          94  60   76    0.00    0    2.13     9.96  49.40   81
PLAINS          93  64   77    0.00    0    2.10     8.08  48.17   80
SASSER          91  62   75    0.00    0    3.39    10.39  50.00   81
SAVANNAH        97  58   80    0.00    0    3.33     6.63  36.04   69
SHELLMAN        95  65   78    0.00    0    3.11     7.17  41.40   87
SKIDAWAY        96  66   80    0.04    3    6.96     9.16  39.85   78
STATESBORO      95  61   79    0.00    0    0.87    10.41  41.42   84
TIFTON          93  64   78    0.00    0    1.45     4.55  35.33   81
TIGER           88  52   69    0.00    0    3.43    12.02  55.03   79
VALDOSTA        95  63   80    0.00    0    0.50     5.13  47.60   79
VIDALIA         97  63   79    0.00    0    1.68     5.68  25.77   84
WATKINSVILLE    93  59   76    0.00    0    0.68     6.15  46.93   80
1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring 
Network (AEMN) and the office of the State Climatologist, University of 
Georgia.  For detailed Georgia weather data visit the AEMN homepage, 
www.georgiaweather.net.  NA - not available.

District Highlights
These comments are written by the Georgia County Extension Agents, and have 
been compiled and edited by the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service.

DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST
No comments available.

DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL
Over two weeks without any rain.  Very dry.

Commercial vineyard harvest underway - dry conditions slowing hay and pasture 
growth.

DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST
No comments available.

DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL
Need rain.  Fuel is too expensive to use.

Dry!

What rain did fall was widely scattered, it's dry out there; Bermuda hay baled.

DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL
Very dry!  Needing rain really bad.  Corn and grain sorghum harvest progressing 
nicely. Pasture and hay field conditions declining due to drought conditions.  
Some farmers preparing land for planting of small grains but will wait for rain 
before planting.

Crop conditions declined rapidly without rain.  Winter annual planting will be 
delayed, pasture & hayfield conditions are less than ideal.  Cattle producers 
have already begun to feed hay.

We have been very dry as of late.  We need rain.

Dry!  Cotton defoliation has begun.  Peanut harvesting continued.  Having 
trouble digging peanuts due to dry conditions.  Pastures/hayfields going down 
hill quickly.

Soil conditions have become dry.  Spittle bugs have caused extensive damage to 
pastures & hayfields.  Hay harvesting has picked up with recent dry weather 
conditions.

Dry conditions prevail as the wind and temperature continued to lower soil 
moisture. Great weather to cut and bale hay!

DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL
Dry, hot weather has damaged soybeans as the crop filled pods.  Cotton 
defoliation and peanut digging have begun.

Soil moisture was very short.  Soybeans and late planted cotton continued to 
suffer.

Dry, dry, dry.

DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST
Very dry.

No rainfall.

DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL
Dry! Effecting cotton yield and peanut yield and quality.  Most of peanuts 
need rainfall desperately.  Effecting maturity and digging decisions.  Some 
satisfaction is disease pressure has decreased.  Some cotton fields ready to 
be defoliated first of next week.  Most growers irrigating if possible.  Some 
hay cutting.

Beginning peanut harvest.  Beginning to defoliate cotton.

Dry conditions have hurt row crops.  Three months of above average rainfall have 
left crops with poor root systems now three weeks without rainfall has hurt crop 
maturity and yields. Rain fall will be needed to finish crops.

The old saying we are only a week away from a drought is coming true.

Hot, dry weather causing drop losses.  Peanut diseases showing increase.  All 
crops going down in yield and quality.

Dry weather impacts crop positively if you are harvesting, negatively if you are 
a couple of weeks away.

DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST
We have gotten very dry.  Peanut digging has began.  Cotton being defoliated and 
picking now underway.

Contact Information
David S. Abbe, Director
Georgia Agricultural Statistics
Phone:   706-546-2236
E-mail:  nass-ga@nass.usda.gov
Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga