Mississippi Weekly Crop Weather

Released: Monday, 3PM August 30, 2004
Week Ending August 29, 2004                 
 
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Issue                                       
MS-CW3504

Agricultural Summary 
                                         
According to the Mississippi Agricultural Statistics Service, there were
4.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending August 29, 2004.
Harvesting activities were hampered by the precipitation that arrived in
the state over the weekend. Warmer temperatures have helped cotton growth
and farmers are hoping for decent returns once harvesting begins in a few
weeks. Warm season forages continue to be harvested with seed bed
preparation for winter forages already taking place. Soil moisture was
rated 1 percent very short, 14 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 10
percent surplus.

Item   Event      This  Last  2003   5-Yr   Very
                  Week  Week         Avg    Poor   Poor  Fair  Good  Excellent

Corn 
     Dent           99   99    99     99      1     3     16     47      33
     Mature         97   90    84     90
     Harvested      56   40    35     50
 Silage Harvested   98   96    99     94
               
Cotton
     Setting Bolls 100  100    99    100      2     7     23     48      20
     Open Bolls     39   22    38     59
                    
Rice
     Heading       100  100    99     97      0     1     11     57      31
     Mature         60   40    44     48
     Harvested      11    3    12      9
            
Sorghum 
     Turning Color 100   97    99     99      0     1     17     68      14
     Mature         90   75    82     85
     Harvested      45   24    29     40
          
Soybeans
     Setting Pods  100  100   100    100      1     4     13     47      35
     Turning Color  78   70    58     58
   Shedding Leaves  62   50    41     41
     Harvested      38   25    22     14
     
Hay Harvested
    (Warm Season)   76   74    86     83      5    18     25     40      12

Sweetpotatoes                                
    Harvested                                 1     8     37     44      10


Cattle                                        3     7     16     57      17
Pasture                                       4    10     19     54      13



         Other Agricultural Comments and News
 
                         County Agent Comments
                  
"Rains and cloudy weather continue to impede harvest and the maturing of
cotton."
                                -- Jerry Singleton, Leflore

"Cooler weather has slowed forage growth. Armyworms have decreased in
intensity on hay fields and pastures. Recent rains should make soil
preparation for winter forages much easier."

                                -- Houston Therrell, Rankin

"Soil conditions remain too dry to support satisfactory plant growth.
Fall armyworm pressure in pastures is very high with many acres of grass
being destroyed. Many producers are electing not to spend the dollars
necessary for insecticide treatments as they often fail to provide
satisfactory control."

                                   -- Lamar Adams, Walthall

"Rainfall has been spotty and very isolated in areas. Producers badly
need rainfall to help improve pasture land used for grazing. Vegetable
producers are in need of rainfall to provide the boost needed for fall
vegetable production."

                                -- Florieda K. Mason, Perry

"Rain is spotty. We have had scattered showers, and some areas have
received adequate moisture, while others are a bit short."

                                   -- Judith Breland, Stone

"The scattered rains that fell this week were badly needed. Sweetpotatoes
and soybeans needed water to finish out. Corn and soybean harvest are
under way with respectable yields being cut. Almost all cotton fields are
reddish/purple and suffering. Several viral diseases are being seen in
cotton as well."

                             -- Dr. Bill Burdine, Chickasaw

"Rain Saturday stopped all harvesting. Rice yield reports have been good.
A few leaves have been knocked off of cotton, but very few."

	                           -- Don Respess, Bolivar

"It had been dry in most areas of the county until we received rain over
the weekend. Cotton growth and development is slower than normal. Corn and
soybean harvest should start soon."

	                                -- Melvin Oatis, Benton

"The rains have slowed bean harvest, but we were back on track by Wednesday.
We should meet  August delivery. The next question will be if the rainy spell
will cause any seed quality issues later."

	                             -- Stephen R. Winters, Grenada

"Periodic rainfall delayed corn and soybean harvest. Most cotton is cutting
out and early planted cotton should be safe from tarnished plant bug and 
bollworm/budworm damage."

	                         -- Jay Phelps, Pontotoc

"Harvest resumed Tuesday after rainfall last week. Most all yields are 
reported as good to excellent. Cotton is opening, but no defoliation has
 taken place."

	                       -- Tommy Baird, Sunflower

"Soybean and corn harvesting were going well until scattered heavy rains
started in some areas last week. Since that time, harvesting has been very
scattered. Corn fields are beginning to lodge as a  result of rains, poor
stalk strength, and disease; timely harvesting is critical in order to
salvage normal yields this year. Rains and warmer weather have been 
beneficial to cotton, giving hope that later fields may have a fair 
chance to mature."

	                             -- Ernest Flint, Attala

"Harvesting of soybeans have come to a halt because of the scattered heavy
rains we have received over the last week. The warm weather and rain have
been great for cotton, giving hope that the later fields will produce the
needed yield."

	                         -- Kay Emmons, Montgomery

"Corn harvest has slowed down due to the recent rains. Yields are running
about 25 bu/acre above our all-time county high. Soybean harvest is going
slow due to the rain last week but yields are running above normal. We still
are treating for stink bugs in our later planted soybeans."

	                     -- Dr. Dennis B. Reginelli, Noxubee

"Harvesting of Group IV soybeans is under way. Corn harvest started toward
the end of the week until rain late on Saturday afternoon stopped the
harvest."

	                              -- Mark Mowdy, Franklin

"Hot weather and humid conditions persist. We have received thunderstorms
in some part of the county every day. Lots of hay is being put up. Cotton
and peanuts continue to look good. There is some resurgence of interest in
harvesting grass seed; however, some harvested seed are light weight."

	                            -- Lee Taylor, Forrest

"Rains early in the week delayed field operations, but were welcomed by
those planting winter grazing crops. Some fall field operations were
delayed, but they will resume this week."

	                             -- Victor Lee, Newton

"Warm season forages continue to be harvested. Corn is now being
harvested. Seed bed preparation began for planting winter forages. 
Deer hunters are going full speed planting wildlife food plots."

	                         -- Allen McReynolds, Wayne
                                   
Weather Information Table
          
Weather Summary from August 23, 2004 to August 29, 2004 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
Charleston                   78      2.37 +1.65  2  5.19                   
Cleveland                    79      1.56 +1.18  2  2.59                   
Tunica                       78      0.95 +0.40  1  1.40               0.29
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average              79      1.63 +1.07  2  3.06               0.29

2. North-Central
Hickory Flat     90  64  79  77  +2  0.61 -0.23  2  1.98                   
Calhoun City     90  67  79  78  +1  1.74 +1.02  4  4.01                   
Independence     90  63  79  78  +1  2.67 +1.97  4  3.54                   
Oxford           92  65  81  77  +4  1.46 +0.67  3  2.20                   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  92  63  79  78  +1  1.62 +0.88  3  2.93                   

3. Northeast
Booneville       91  66  78  77  +1  1.19 +0.42  5  2.00                   
Iuka             91  59  75  75   0  7.43 +6.56  4  8.78                   
Ripley           90  62  77  77   0  0.75 +0.08  2  2.23                   
Tupelo           92  66  78          1.96        3  3.58                   
Verona                       79      1.82 +0.90  4  2.82               0.20
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  92  59  77  78  -1  2.83 +2.09  4  4.15                   

4. Lower Delta
Moorhead         98  70  84  80  +4  0.35 -0.18  3  1.79                   
Rolling Fork     95  69  83  80  +3  0.71 +0.15  2  1.37   98  77  85      
Stoneville       93  70  82  80  +2  1.20 +0.75  2  2.14   99  78  86  0.23
Yazoo City       94  68  81  81   0  0.79 +0.09  3  2.61                   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  98  68  83  80  +3  0.76 +0.20  3  1.98   99  77  86  0.23

5. Central
Canton                       80      1.01 +0.36  3  2.91                   
Carthage         92  68  79  79   0  3.70 +2.93  3  9.16                   
Lexington        92  67  79  78  +1  1.55 +0.92  3  3.06                   
Eupora           92  65  79  78  +1  1.76 +1.07  3  4.28                   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  92  65  79  79   0  2.34 +1.61  3  5.50                   

6. East-Central
Aberdeen         91  69  79  78  +1  1.81 +1.15  5  2.69               0.13
Houston          91  65  79  77  +2  0.49 -0.25  5  3.17                   
Louisville                   78      2.28 +1.61  5  3.85                   
State University 94  66  80  79  +1  3.19 +2.46  5  3.53   85  78  81  0.17
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  94  65  79  79   0  1.94 +1.20  5  3.31   85  78  81  0.15

7. Southwest
Crystal Springs  93  69  81  80  +1  0.09 -0.79  1  3.15   91  80  85      
Natchez          93  69  81  80  +1  1.06 +0.15  4  1.20                   
Oakley           94  68  82  79  +3  0.46 -0.38  3  4.35   94  79  85      
Vicksburg        91  70  81          0.48        4  5.26                   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  94  68  82  80  +2  0.52 -0.39  3  3.49   94  79  85      

8. South-Central
Collins          93  69  82  79  +3  0.69 -0.22  2  1.63                   
Columbia         94  70  83  80  +3  1.05 +0.07  1  6.09                   
Tylertown        93  72  82  80  +2  2.46 +1.48  2  7.80                   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  94  69  82  80  +2  1.40 +0.42  2  5.17                   

9. Southeast
Beaumont         95  70  81          2.27        4  3.00                   
Hattiesburg      94  71  82  81  +1  0.49 -0.56  3  3.26                   
Laurel           93  70  81  80  +1  2.41 +1.50  4  5.80                   
Newton           93  64  79  79   0  1.72 +0.89  3  3.85   88  73  79  0.16
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  95  64  81  80  +1  1.72 +0.88  4  3.98   88  73  79  0.16

10. Coastal
Bay St Louis                 81      0.23 -1.08  1  2.67                   
Gulfport         94  72  83  82  +1  0.18 -1.14  1  3.25                   
Poplarville      95  70  82  81  +1  0.18 -0.87  3  4.34   91  76  84  0.21
Waveland         92  72  83  81  +2  0.00 -1.35  0  1.96                   
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Extreme/Average  95  70  83  81  +2  0.12 -1.16  1  3.18   91  76  84  0.21

State Averages   98  59  81  79  +2  1.50 +0.70  3  3.76   99  73  82  0.21

DFN = Departure from Normal.