State Georgia Crop Weather Week Ending Date March 14, 2004 Issue GA-CW1104 Agricultural Summary MILD TEMPERATURES The State experienced mild temperatures, according to the Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service. Sunny, dry conditions allowed soil preparation to continue. Wheat and other small grains looked good. County Extension Agents reported an average of 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Producers continued top-dressing in preparation for spring planting. Corn planting is well under-way in south Georgia. South Georgia started planting sweet corn and tomatoes. Field preparation for vegetables and tobacco was active. Tobacco transplants, in the greenhouse, looked good. Producers burned fields and fertilized cool season pastures and hayfields. Routine care of livestock and poultry continued. Crop Progress Table March 14, 2004 Data for this table will resume in April 2004. Crop Condition Table March 14, 2004 Crop Very Poor Vegetables 1 Wheat 0 Pasture 3 Poor Fair Good --Percentage-- 5 32 56 2 32 59 11 40 42 Excellent 6 7 4 Pasture Condition Table - District* Level March 14, 2004 Very Poor Poor Fair Good Excellent --Percentage-- Dist 1(NW) 6 11 47 35 1 Dist 2(NC) 0 3 19 75 3 Dist 3(NE) 0 21 39 39 1 Dist 4(WC) 0 12 55 33 0 Dist 5(C) 9 12 30 41 8 Dist 6(EC) 7 8 35 47 3 Dist 7(SW) 1 14 40 40 5 Dist 8(SC) 0 11 43 41 5 Dist 9(SE) 4 4 53 38 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 Mar 14, 2004 Prev Year 5 Year Avg Very Short Short Adequate Surplus --Percentages-- 1 NA NA 16 NA NA 72 NA NA 11 NA NA Soil Moisture Table - District Level March 14, 2004 Very Short Short Adequate --Percentages-- Dist 1(NW) 0 24 59 Dist 2(NC) 0 1 83 Dist 3(NE) 0 1 89 Dist 4(WC) 0 13 76 Dist 5(C) 0 14 67 Dist 6(EC) 2 13 79 Dist 7(SW) 5 33 59 Dist 8(SC) 1 13 72 Dist 9(SE) 0 19 78 Surplus 17 16 10 11 19 6 3 14 3 Weather Information Table GEORGIA WEATHER SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING MIDNIGHT, SUNDAY MARCH 14, 2004 1/ 2004 Air Temperature Precipitation Totals Extreme Weekly Rain 30 60 Soil Location Max Min AvG Weekly Day Day Day Season Temp ALMA 78 31 54 0.00 0 2.81 7.06 7.51 56 ALPHARETTA 72 27 48 0.05 1 2.33 7.78 8.52 50 ARLINGTON 79 34 55 0.00 0 2.72 6.95 7.59 59 ATTAPULGUS 78 32 56 0.05 1 2.99 8.28 8.55 61 BLAIRSVILLE 64 23 44 0.27 1 1.90 6.68 7.33 48 BRUNSWICK 77 37 56 0.19 2 3.68 6.85 7.20 60 BYRON 76 31 53 0.00 0 1.94 7.99 8.49 56 CAIRO 77 34 56 0.09 1 3.66 8.47 8.85 59 CALHOUN 72 24 48 0.00 0 2.55 7.40 8.35 51 CAMILLA 79 32 55 0.00 0 2.26 7.79 8.29 60 CORDELE 77 33 54 0.00 0 1.73 4.63 4.79 57 COVINGTON 73 28 51 0.13 1 2.03 8.35 8.82 53 DAHLONEGA 66 28 47 0.14 1 3.28 8.99 9.66 48 DALLAS 72 28 49 0.04 1 2.62 8.93 9.64 52 DAWSON 78 32 54 0.00 0 2.26 7.16 7.34 61 DEARING 74 31 52 0.08 2 3.41 7.10 7.41 53 DEMPSEY 73 29 51 0.00 0 1.96 7.30 8.02 53 DIXIE 80 32 56 0.07 1 3.55 8.49 8.73 61 DUBLIN 77 30 53 0.03 1 2.24 6.86 7.28 56 DULUTH 73 27 49 0.02 1 2.31 7.72 8.48 52 DUNWOODY 70 28 50 0.01 1 2.22 8.06 8.85 52 EATONTON 73 26 50 0.07 1 2.19 7.34 7.80 54 ELLIJAY 67 24 45 0.00 0 2.21 7.93 8.75 49 FORT VALLEY 74 31 53 0.00 0 1.61 6.21 6.50 56 GAINESVILLE 67 32 49 0.04 1 1.63 6.99 7.81 53 GEORGETOWN 75 29 54 0.00 0 2.76 7.25 7.49 57 GRIFFIN 72 31 51 0.00 0 1.94 7.11 7.72 54 HOMERVILLE 80 32 54 0.11 1 3.30 7.87 8.11 59 JACKSONVILLE 75 29 52 0.00 0 2.51 8.94 9.37 55 JONESBORO 72 29 51 0.00 0 1.87 7.36 8.30 53 LAFAYETTE 70 25 48 0.00 0 3.18 9.00 10.19 49 MIDVILLE 75 31 52 0.09 1 4.18 10.81 11.29 58 NAHUNTA 78 30 53 0.18 1 3.86 7.68 7.88 60 NEWTON 79 39 54 0.00 0 2.59 9.51 10.03 59 PINE MOUNTAIN 74 29 50 0.00 0 2.18 7.34 8.11 53 PLAINS 74 33 53 0.00 0 3.63 8.44 8.70 55 ROME 73 27 50 1.03 1 4.19 10.17 11.08 54 ROOPVILLE 73 26 49 0.00 0 2.38 8.48 9.43 55 SAVANNAH 75 30 52 0.09 1 2.55 5.86 6.51 58 SNEADS 74 42 58 0.01 1 3.25 9.47 9.58 60 STATESBORO 77 32 53 0.19 1 3.04 7.26 7.65 57 TIFTON 76 36 55 0.00 0 3.27 10.83 11.31 57 VALDOSTA 80 36 57 0.10 1 2.72 7.26 7.40 62 VIDALIA 77 33 54 0.11 2 2.99 7.67 8.12 56 WATKINSVILLE 71 29 50 0.01 1 2.10 7.61 8.30 53 WILLIAMSON 72 28 51 0.00 0 1.41 5.92 6.50 54 1/ Weather data supplied by Georgia Automated Environmential 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 March 14, 2004 DISTRICT 1 - NORTHWEST No comments available. DISTRICT 2 - NORTH CENTRAL Started the apple IPM trapping program this weekend. Sunny weather improved condition of pastures this week. Routine care of livestock and poultry are major activities. DISTRICT 3 - NORTHEAST Buds are beginning to break. This could leave us susceptible to hard late frost. DISTRICT 4 - WEST CENTRAL Temperatures are very mild. Winter annuals are growing well. Soil moisture beginning to decline in the absence of substantial rainfall. Wind and sunny days have allowed for drying fields and pastures. Routine care of livestock and poultry. Spreading lime, fertilizing cool season pasture and hayfields. DISTRICT 5 - CENTRAL We could use some rain. Pastures beginning to green up just a little. Small grains and winter grazing are looking good. Farmers preparing land for spring planting. We have enjoyed the warmer temperatures. So far the planting season is right on schedule. DISTRICT 6 - EAST CENTRAL Corn planting is underway. Fields are being plowed. Wheat looking bigger and better with fertilizer and sunshine. Days suitable for work have improved as winter wheat continues to mature. Sun is shining. Field work is progressing well. DISTRICT 7 - SOUTHWEST Farmers are planting corn for grain, sweet corn, and fresh market tomatoes. Wheat is in good condition overall. Field cultivation continues. Around 15-20% of corn has been planted. Soil is very, very dry. DISTRICT 8 - SOUTH CENTRAL Some sweet corn has been planted. Fixing soil for veggies and tobacco. Fertilizing and liming pecan trees. Burning pastures and controlling winter weeds on conservation tillage fields. Preparing for burn down and killing weeds in pasture. Preparing fields for tobacco transplanting. DISTRICT 9 - SOUTHEAST Planting corn and ground turning. Dry soil conditions have increased soil preparation and lime applications. Contact Information David S. Abbe, State Statistician Phone: 706-546-2236 E-mail: nass-ga@nass.usda.gov Website: http://www.nass.usda.gov/ga