Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date October 10, 2004 ROW CROP HARVEST PICKS UP PACE Cool, dry weather during the week dried the soil in many areas of the State, according the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Drier conditions were welcomed by producers that were waiting to resume planting and harvesting. Rainfall was limited to mostly light showers in many reporting locations. Soil moisture levels were rated as mostly adequate to surplus. Peanut digging and combining gained momentum. However, some equipment was still bogged down in wet fields. Cotton defoliation and harvesting continued. Armyworms in pastures and soybeans declined due to cooler temperatures. Soybean and sorghum harvests were slightly behind the five year average. Apple harvest made good progress. County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Pumpkin harvest was underway. In other activities, farmers mowed pastures and maintained the routine care of livestock and poultry. Crop Progress Table Oct 10, 2004 Corn, Harvested for Grain 94 Cotton, Bolls Open 94 Cotton, Harvested 21 Peanuts, Dug 64 Peanuts, Combined 44 Rye, Planted 25 Sorghum, Harvested for Grain 54 Soybeans, Dropping Leaves 66 Soybeans, Harvested 7 Wheat, Planted 6 Wheat, Emerged 1 Other Small Grains, Planted 17 Apples, Harvested 76 Pecans, Harvested 3 Prev Week 92 90 12 43 27 18 47 53 4 3 0 12 63 1 Prev Year 98 89 20 71 56 30 63 59 11 9 1 20 66 4 5 Year Avg 97 90 23 73 56 28 57 61 10 6 1 19 69 3 Crop Condition Table October 10, 2004 Crop Very Poor Cotton 9 Hay 1 Peanuts 3 Sorghum 0 Soybeans 2 Pecans 21 Pasture 0 Poor Fair Good --Percentage-- 20 39 28 7 37 52 12 35 43 9 40 46 8 40 45 35 28 16 5 35 55 Excellent 4 3 7 5 5 0 5 Pasture Condition Table - District* Level October 10, 2004 Very Poor Poor Fair Good --Percentage-- Dist 1(NW) 0 9 43 41 Dist 2(NC) 0 2 37 59 Dist 3(NE) 0 7 19 62 Dist 4(WC) 0 6 48 46 Dist 5(C) 0 1 22 68 Dist 6(EC) 0 2 41 57 Excellent 7 2 12 0 9 0 Dist 7(SW) 0 6 28 59 7 Dist 8(SC) 2 10 38 45 5 Dist 9(SE) 0 1 51 47 1 *A list of the counties in each of the nine Georgia Agricultural Statistics Districts is available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga/ctyests/districts.pdf. Soil Moisture Table Oct 10, 2004 Prev Year --Percentages-- Very Short 0 6 Short 9 38 Adequate 72 51 Surplus 19 5 5 Year Avg 7 31 56 6 Soil Moisture Table - District Level October 10, 2004 Very Short Short Adequate --Percentages-- Dist 1(NW) 0 23 76 Dist 2(NC) 1 19 77 Dist 3(NE) 0 4 87 Dist 4(WC) 0 11 81 Dist 5(C) 0 0 67 Dist 6(EC) 0 8 80 Dist 7(SW) 1 19 70 Dist 8(SC) 0 1 58 Dist 9(SE) 0 3 73 Surplus 1 3 9 8 33 12 10 41 24 Weather Information Table GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY OCTOBER 10, 2004 1/ 2004 Air Temperature Precipitation Totals Extreme Weekly Rain 30 60 Soil Location Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day Day Season Temp ALMA 85 59 71 0.17 2 6.47 16.52 40.91 74 ALPHARETTA 82 50 63 0.00 0 8.69 19.30 48.33 68 ARLINGTON 86 55 70 0.11 1 7.55 14.32 43.27 75 ATTAPULGUS 86 59 72 0.06 1 4.44 10.84 38.95 78 BLAIRSVILLE 77 41 60 0.01 1 6.71 15.05 44.04 68 BRUNSWICK 86 62 73 0.08 2 3.08 16.17 44.36 76 BYRON 84 53 68 0.06 1 3.97 10.88 31.86 73 CAIRO 87 60 72 0.37 1 4.12 12.21 37.08 78 CALHOUN 82 45 63 0.02 2 4.27 11.47 42.38 69 CAMILLA 86 56 71 0.17 1 3.30 11.36 35.43 78 CORDELE 86 55 70 0.12 1 5.53 14.65 41.85 75 COVINGTON 83 51 65 0.01 1 6.37 17.50 41.84 73 DAHLONEGA 80 45 62 0.00 0 6.38 15.93 43.47 66 DALLAS 81 51 64 0.00 0 5.24 11.49 41.08 69 DAWSON 86 56 70 0.05 1 3.34 9.27 34.19 75 DEARING 83 52 67 0.07 1 4.83 12.34 39.39 74 DEMPSEY 82 52 65 0.01 1 6.15 14.33 43.12 70 DIXIE 87 58 72 0.01 1 4.05 11.82 44.96 77 DUBLIN 84 54 68 0.01 1 4.34 17.22 39.40 75 DUNWOODY 81 51 64 0.00 0 9.39 17.58 48.20 69 EATONTON 83 49 64 0.03 2 8.10 18.37 40.19 76 ELLIJAY 80 45 61 0.00 0 8.91 14.80 43.85 67 FORT VALLEY 84 53 68 0.03 1 3.57 10.09 27.09 71 GAINESVILLE 82 52 64 0.07 1 6.08 15.08 37.63 71 GEORGETOWN 85 55 69 0.10 1 7.07 11.94 34.96 76 GRIFFIN 82 53 65 0.00 0 7.15 15.24 42.87 70 JACKSONVILLE 83 53 67 0.03 1 6.53 16.20 39.95 73 JONESBORO 83 53 65 0.01 1 6.98 15.67 35.62 70 LAFAYETTE 82 44 62 0.09 1 4.28 8.16 34.95 68 MIDVILLE 82 53 67 0.10 3 3.47 17.06 43.37 74 NAHUNTA 87 58 70 0.01 1 6.23 23.54 58.83 76 NEWTON 85 57 70 0.30 1 4.36 10.21 36.87 76 PINE MOUNTAIN 83 51 67 0.00 0 7.08 15.70 48.49 70 PLAINS 85 55 69 0.06 1 6.51 13.74 42.77 74 ROME 83 48 64 0.04 3 2.48 5.82 38.46 71 ROOPVILLE 85 49 64 0.07 2 4.48 14.48 38.92 71 SAVANNAH 87 56 67 2.26 3 4.77 15.23 45.93 74 SNEADS 90 64 75 0.01 1 4.51 6.93 34.93 78 STATESBORO 82 53 67 0.16 3 4.07 13.93 32.00 75 VALDOSTA 87 61 74 0.66 3 6.77 15.80 40.97 75 VIDALIA 85 56 69 0.03 1 2.99 19.58 44.30 76 WATKINSVILLE 83 49 65 0.02 1 7.80 15.75 39.33 69 WILLIAMSON 82 50 65 0.00 0 6.55 13.48 40.07 71 1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN) and the office of the State Climatologist, University of Georgia. For detailed Georgia weather data visit the AEMN homepage, www.georgiaweather.net. NA - not available. District Highlights These comments are written by the Georgia County Extension Agents, and have been complied and edited by the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. DISTRICT COMMENTS October 10, 2004 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Pasture crops growing well. Sunny weather this week, pasture mowing and some hay harvest, corn harvest for grain will begin soon, grape harvest completed, pumpkin harvest underway. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST No comments available. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Producers are having a tough time digging peanuts. Cotton is really starting to fall out. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL A dry week for a change! Harvest of corn, grain sorghum and hay in full swing. Pasture and hayfield conditions continued to improve due to all the rain recently. Small grain and winter grazing planting continuing. We have experienced several days of rather cool weather. This has suppressed several potential pest problems that we normally have. Harvesting continues. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Cotton yields stronger than estimated, several irrigated fields going just under 3 bales and dryland fields that got timely showers are picking 700-800 lbs/A. Worms in soybeans have done a lot of damage to foliage but fields are drying down now so stinkbug pressure is easing a bit. Cotton harvest underway. Some cotton on the ground due to hurricane winds, but not serious impact on the overall harvest. Not much consolation to those with losses however. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Peanut harvesting is difficult because of wet areas. Combines and tractors bogging. Hurricane damage estimates: Peanuts - 45%, Cotton - 45%, Pecan - 75%, Green beans - 85%. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL About Wednesday farmers were able to get into most fields to resume peanut digging and harvest after the storms. A lot of cotton has been defoliated and should begin picking today and next week. Cutting hay. Preparing soil for small grains for cattle grazing. Some fields still too wet to get into. Still no real harvest data to give us an accurate account of weather toll on peanuts and cotton. Hopefully, next week we can know more on yields and grades. Were drying out once again. Farmers have been busy in the fields catching up - digging and combining peanuts. Also defoliating and picking cotton. Some field severely impacted by excessive rain. Too much for rain for the mature fields. Peanuts dug before hurricane Jeanne are having trouble drying out due to amount of rain, muddy fields and dirt washing back onto inverted peanuts. Farmers have just been able to return to fields now they are calling for rain Sunday and Monday. This will be very bad on crops ready to harvest. Hay is being mowed however crop has lost quality due to excess rain and time from last cutting. Rain, rain go away! DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST No comments available. Contact Information David S. Abbe, Director Georgia Agricultural Statistics Phone: 706-546-2236 E-mail: nass-ga@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga