Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending July 6, 2014.
GENERAL: According to the National Agriculture Statistics Service’s Alabama Field Office, there were 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, July 6, 2014. Precipitation estimates for the state ranged from 0.00 inches of rain over most of Alabama to 1.01 inches in Anniston. Average mean temperatures ranged from 77.7°F in Anniston to 80.9°F in Mobile.
EXTENSION/FSA COMMENTS:
Most of the winter wheat is harvested. Double cropped soybeans look good with most being emerged. Some producers have begun to spray herbicides. Cotton and corn crops look excellent.
— Danny McWilliams, ACES CEC, Colbert, Fayette, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion, Walker, and Winston Counties.
Thanks to the dry weather last week the wheat harvest is complete. Yields ranged from 50 to 60 bushels. Good progress was made on planting double crop soybeans.
— Tim Malone, FSA CED, Marion, Winston Counties.
The lack of rain through most of the area has some pastures showing signs of stress. The first reports of Bermudagrass stem maggot came this past week from several counties in the region.
— Henry Dorough, ACES REA, Etowah, Marshall, St. Clair Counties.
Producers put up lots of hay the last two weeks. Yields are good.
— Jack Tatum, ACES REA, Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Coosa, Lee, Randolph, Shelby, Talladega, Tallapoosa Counties.
Temperatures were very hot with a few scattered showers.
— Marie Headley FSA CED, Bibb, Perry Counties.
Dry conditions allowed much field work this past week. Hay was harvested with good yields.
— Carol Gay, FSA CED, Clay & Randolph Counties
Wheat harvest was finally wrapped up last week as mostly dry conditions prevailed. Planting of most double cropped soybeans was finished as well. Cotton and corn crops look good. Most producers have already applied several ounces of growth regulators to cotton.
— Jeffery Smith FSA CED, Coosa, Elmore, Tallapoosa Counties.
Plant growth regulators are set to be applied in cotton. We are beginning to get a few tarnished plant bugs in cotton. Kudzu bug treatments have been applied to soybeans.
— Don Moore, Director of AL Experiment Station, Autauga County.
Several producers are cutting their second cutting of hay.
— Brenda Glover, ACES REA, Greene, Hale, Marengo, Perry, and Sumter Counties.
High temperatures were drying up cropland fast.
— Karin Knowles, FSA CED, Covington County.
We need some rainfall across the county.
— James Jones, Jr., ACES CEC, Henry County.
The hot, dry weather pattern is beginning to affect most row crops. A good rain this week would be beneficial in keeping the growing season going in the right direction.
— Willie Durr, ACES CEC, Houston County.
ACRONYMS: ACES – Alabama Cooperative Extension System; CEC – County Executive Coordinator; CED – County Executive Director; FSA – Farm Service Agency; PT – Program Technician; REA – Regional Extension Agent
