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Warmer weather enhances crop progressOklahoma It was a relatively dry during the week ending July 20, with a state average temperature of 80 degrees and only .15 inch of average rainfall, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Oklahoma Field Office, July 21. Despite the dry and warm conditions, row crops made good progress last week. Nine counties have been declared natural disaster areas and five more as contiguous disaster counties due to production loss from combined effects of drought, extreme heat, and high winds. The nine disaster relief counties include Beaver, Dewey, Harper, Texas, Woodward, Cimarron, Ellis, Roger Mills and Woods. The five contiguous disaster counties include Alfalfa, Beckham, Blaine, Custer and Major. All of the counties mentioned will be eligible for low-interest emergency loans from FSA, provided eligibility requirements are met. Topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies dropped slightly last week and were rated mostly adequate. The high of 102 degrees was recorded July 20 in Grandfield, and the low of 54 degrees was recorded July 14 in Alva. With the dry conditions in many areas, there were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Producers were gearing up to prepare fields for the 2009 wheat crop across much of the state last week. Winter wheat stubble has been plowed at least once on 72 percent of the state 's wheat acreage, 43 percentage points ahead of last year, but 2 points behind the five-year average. Over three-quarters of the state's rye acres had been plowed by week's end, 50 points ahead of last year, and 13 points ahead of the five-year average. Oats harvest is virtually completed, 4 points ahead of normal, while 71 percent of oats had been plowed, 1 point behind normal. Row crop conditions remained mostly in the good to fair range. Corn silking reached 59 percent, an increase of 4 percentage points from last week but 20 points behind normal. Thirty-seven percent of the corn crop had reached the dough stage, up 8 points from the previous week but 4 points behind the five-year average. Thirteen percent of the corn crop was beginning to dent. Sorghum planting was virtually completed by week's end. Sorghum emerged was at 76 percent, a 13 point jump from the previous week, but 19 points behind normal. Twenty-two percent of the state's sorghum had headed, an increase of 11 points from the previous week. A small percentage of the state's sorghum acreage was coloring by Sunday. Soybean planting was nearly completed by week's end. Soybeans emerged were at 92 percent, an increase of 7 points from the previous week and 2 points ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans blooming were at 46 percent by the end of the week, a large increase of 22 points from the previous week and 10 points ahead of normal. Peanuts pegging increased 7 points from the previous week to reach 81 percent, while peanuts setting pods were at 54 percent, 7 points ahead of normal. Cotton squaring increased 15 points to reach 64 percent, 12 points behind normal, and 17 percent of the state's cotton acreage was setting bolls by week's end. Producers continued cutting and baling hay last week. Third cuttings of alfalfa were 75 percent complete, a 9 point jump from the previous week and 7 points ahead of normal. As of Sunday, producers had made the first cutting on 80 percent of other hay acres, 7 points behind normal. A small percentage of other hay second cutting was harvested by week's end. Alfalfa and other hay conditions remained mostly in the good to fair range. Ninety-two percent of the state's watermelons were setting fruit, an increase of 9 points from last week but 5 points behind normal. Watermelons harvested had reached 45 percent complete by week's end, 6 points behind normal. Pasture and range conditions remained mostly in the good to fair range despite the recent dry weather. Prices for feeder steers less than 800 pounds averaged $110 per cwt. Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds averaged $104 per cwt. Livestock conditions were rated mostly in the good to fair range. Mostly light to no insect activity was reported. 7/28/08 Date: 7/24/08 Advertisement
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