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Favorable weather allows for planting progressNebraska For the week ending May 4, favorable conditions at the beginning of the week allowed producers to make progress planting corn but wet weather late in the week forced many farmers out of the field, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office, May 5. Corn planting was catching up with last year but the cool soil temperatures were causing slow germination and emergence. The cold conditions in the Panhandle damaged emerged sugarbeets which will need to be replanted. There have been reports of stand losses to alfalfa due to winter kill. Slow growth may cause alfalfa first cutting to be below normal. Wheat conditions continue above last year and the five-year average with some stand losses from winter injury and disease being reported. Unseasonably cool temperatures and wet weather held on again this week with most areas 6 to 8 degrees below normal. A spring blizzard blew through the Panhandle late in the week with high winds and snow accumulations. The entire state received precipitation ranging from just under a quarter of an inch in southwest Nebraska to over an inch in the northeast and parts of the Panhandle. Temperatures ranged from highs in the low 80's in the east to lows in the teens in the Panhandle. Corn planted made progress and was 31 percent complete. This is still behind last year's 33 percent and four days behind the average of 47 percent. With below normal temperatures corn germination has been slow with less than 1 percent emerged, well behind last year's 6 percent and the average of 8 percent. Planting was most advanced in south central counties. Soybean planting was beginning and was 3 percent complete, ahead of last year's 1 percent but behind the average of 6 percent. Wheat conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 8 percent excellent, above last year's 61 percent good or excellent condition. Wheat jointed was 25 percent, well behind the 59 percent of last year and 11 days behind the average of 60 percent. Alfalfa conditions rated 6 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 6 percent excellent, well above last year's 47 percent good or excellent condition. Oats planted was 87 percent complete, near the 88 percent of last year and 8 days behind the average of 94 percent. Oats emerged was 39 percent, well behind last year's 59 percent and a week and a half behind the five-year average of 72 percent. Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 7 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 58 percent good, and 5 percent excellent, below last year. Spring calving was 96 percent complete. Calf losses rated 8 percent below average, 91 percent average, and 1 percent above average.
Date: 5/8/08
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