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GEORGIA WEATHER &CROPS
USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Service
Cooperative Extension Service
Georsia Department of Asriculture
GEORGIA:
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
Stephens Federal Building, Suite 320 Athens, Georgia 30601 Phone: (706)546-2236 E-mail: nass-ga@nass.usda.gov Website: www.nass.usda.gov/ga
135-98-34 Week Ending November 1, 1998
Publication No. USPS 383-970 Released 4 P.M. Monday, November 2, 1998
ANOTHER GOOD WEEK FOR HARVEST
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CROP HIGHLIGHTS
Dry weather conditions continued to allow Georgia farmers to make excellent progress in harvesting field crops, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Soil moisture levels across the State were short, with no station reporting rain for the week ending November 1. The dry weather pattern has caused delays in some fall planting and land preparations. Harvest progress was faster than normal, while seeding of small grains was near an average pace.
Cotton harvest by the end of the week was equal to the five year average and nearly a week ahead of last year. Condition of cotton remaining for harvest was down slightly from last week. Peanut harvest continues at a good pace, but is still close to a week behind last year and the five year average.
Soybean harvest made rapid progress during the week and is nearly a week ahead of last year and the five year average. Soybean producers in the northwestern part of the State have reported above average yields. Condition of the acreage remaining for harvest slipped a little from last week. Grain sorghum harvest continued to outpace the five year average.
Rye and other small grain planting made good progress during the week, despite the extremely dry soils. Pecan harvest progressed at a fast pace finishing the period well ahead of the five year average. Condition ratings for pecans dropped compared with the previous week, with over 50 percent of the crop remaining for harvest rated poor to very poor.
Pasture conditions declined from last week. Several reports indicated that extremely short soil moisture levels were limiting pasture forage supplies across the State. Many farmers have been forced to feed hay to cattle much earlier than planned. Apple harvesting made good progress and is now slightly ahead of last year and the five year average.
County Extension Officials reported 6.7 days suitable for field work. Other activities included over ~eeding pastures and hay fields, preparing land for small grain planting, irrigating vegetables and routine care of livestock.
CROP CONDITION-OCTOBER 30, -1998
Crop
Very Poor Poor Fair
--Percentage--
ExcelGood lent
Cotton
13 23 45
16
3
Soybeans 21 26 36
16
1
Wheat
o 7 53
37
3
Pecans
16 35 34
15
o
Pasture
15 24 44
16
1
CROP PROGRESS
Nov. 1, 1998
Nov. 1, 1997
--Percentage--
Cotton, Bolls Open
93
95
Cotton, Harvested
58
46
Peanuts, Dug
96
100
Peanuts, Threshed
90
97
Rye, Planted
69
67
Sorghum, Harvested
for Grain
90
74
Soybeans,
Dropping Leaves
97
96
Soybeans, Harvested 34
24
Wheat, Planted
10
9
Wheat, Emerged
6
5
Other Small Grains,
Planted
52
49
Onions, Transplanted
0
2
Apples, Harvested
96
95
Pecans, Harvested
31
23
5 Year Avg.
96 58 99 95 70
80
97 24 12
7
51 3
95 21
Very Short Short Adequate Surplus
SOIL MOISTURE
Oct. 30, Oct. 30,
1998
1997
29
0
52
3
19
54
o
43
5 Year Avg.
10 27 50 13
Georgia Weather and Crops lISSN 383-970) is published weekly, mid-March through mid-December, by the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service, Athens, Georgia, 30601-5099. Periodicals postage paid at Athens, GA and additional mailing offices. Subscription fee $'2 per year except free to data contributors. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service, Stephens Federal Building, Suite 320, Athens,
GA 30601-5099.
LOCATION
GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1, 19981/
AIR TEMPERATURE
EXTREME
WEEKLY WEEKLY
RAIN
30 DAY 60 DAY SEASON
AVG. 41NCH
SOIL
ALMA
85
44
65
0.00
0
0.41
5.91
45.16
67
ARLINGTON
87
41
63
0.00
0
0.68
6.53
46.48
68
ATTAPULGUS
87
42
65
0.00
0
0.01
10.49
47.45
74
BLAIRSVILLE
79
29
54
0.00
0
2.06
4.79
46.09
61
CALHOUN
84
26
58
0.00
0
0.84
1.05
37.12
65
CAMILLA
86
44
64
0.00
0
0.07
12.18
42.51
69
CORDELE
86
42
64
0.00
0
1.59
8.47
43.84
70
DAWSON
85
40
63
0.00
0
0.22
11.25
54.93
73
DUBLIN
85
41
62
0.00
0
0.53
10.16
43.60
67
DULUTH
85
34
60
0.00
0
0.20
1.16
41.99
66
EATONTON ELLIJAY
85
36
79
31
60
0.00
0
56
b.oO
0
1.77
6.52
39.10
62
1.34
2.59
43.25
64
FORT VALLEY
84
43
65
0.00
0
0.04
4.12
26.27
68
GAINESVILLE
86
40
62
0.00
0
0.94
1.30
32.03
67
GRIFFIN
85
41
63
0.00
0
0.45
3.37
43.08
66
JONESBORO
84
37
60
0.00
0
0.77
4.05
40.97
64
LAFAYETTE
84
33
60
0.00
0
0.00
1.02
30.95
65
MIDVILLE
85
42
64
0.00
0
1.14
6.79
43.13
72
PLAINS
85
41
64
0.00
0
0.22
10.44
51.53
69
ROME
84
34
59
0.00
0
2.47
3.44
39.34
63
ROOPVILLE
85
38
62
0.00
0
3.07
5.11
48.66
64
SAVANNAH STATESBORO
85
41
84
40
62
0.00
0
64
0.00
0
0.54
10.66
49.03
71
1.46
9.00
50.33
71
TIFTON VALDOSTA WATKINSVILLE WILLIAMSON
84
46
85
46
86
44
83
36
67
0.00
0
0.02
8.69
41.16
68
66
0.00
0
0.36
7.89
37.16
70
65
0.00
0
2.39
4.87
47.41
66
60
0.00
0
0.57
3.14
33.25
64
1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network and the office of the State Climatologist. University of Georgia. NA Not Available.
SOIL MOISTURE DELINEATION FOR FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1998
MOSTLY SHORT
DAWSON 0.00 TIFTON 0.00
ALMA 0.00
ARLINGTON 0.00 ATTAPULGUS 0.00
CAMILLA 0.00 VALDOSTA 0.00
GEORGIA:
AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
STEPHENS FEDERAL BLDG. SUITE 320 ATHENS, GEORGIA 30601 PHONE: (706) 546-2236
PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT ATHENS, GA 30601