June 6, 2006

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COLLEGE STATION – Although the week brought light showers and moderate rainfall to some regions of the state, moisture is still inadequate in most areas, according to Texas Cooperative Extension reports. Additionally, other weather woes, particularly the damage caused by wind and hail accompanying much of the state's badly needed rainfall, have caused further difficulties for farmers and ranchers.

In spite of these challenges, cotton, especially irrigated cotton, corn, soybeans and sorghum planting, is off to a good start. And while livestock throughout the state still receive supplemental feeding due to poor forage conditions, producers remain hopeful that the next few weeks will bring sufficient rain to relieve that situation.

In Southwest Texas, recent rains have given cause for optimism among the region's farmers and ranchers, said Jose Pena, Texas Cooperative Extension economist in Uvalde.

"The recent rains have alleviated some of the drought situation, and this has offset the need for water rationing," he said. "This has allowed farmers to irrigate their crops and make some good progress toward successful planting."

Irrigated crops are starting to make good progress, he said, with onions, green beans, potatoes and cucumbers for pickling showing good potential.

Growers who have been able to produce certain grain products during this challenging time will benefit from five-year highs in wheat and oat markets, he added.

Extension officials throughout the state reported the following conditions for the past week:

PANHANDLE: Texas Panhandle temperatures were above average early in the week, but a mid-week cool front dropped them to near normal. Thunderstorms occurred over several days during the week and rain amounts varied from a quarter inch to nearly 2 inches, with isolated reports of 4 to 6 inches. Hail and heavy rain caused some crop loss. Soil moisture is rated from very short to surplus, but most areas continue to report moisture as being short to very short. Corn is rated mostly fair to good. Spider mites continue to be reported infesting a few fields. Cotton is about 90 percent planted and stands are rated mostly fair to good.

Heavy rain, hail and standing water caused losses in some isolated areas. Thrips continue to be a pest in most fields. Peanut planting is about finished, and stands are rated mostly fair. Sorghum is about 60 percent planted, and stands are rated mostly fair. Soybeans are about 80 percent planted, and stands are rated mostly fair. Wheat harvest is temporarily stalled where significant rain fell. The crop is rated mostly poor to very poor. Range conditions continue to improve with some areas in the eastern Panhandle reporting conditions as good to excellent. Cattle are rated in fair to good condition.

SOUTH PLAINS: The area received rainfall this week ranging from 0.1 to 3 inches. Heavy rain, high wind and hail destroyed a significant amount of cotton acres in Swisher, Lubbock and Lynn counties. Producers will be busy replanting lost acres. Soil moisture is short to adequate. Corn is in fair to good condition. Cotton producers in northern counties face many challenges to completing planting or replanting operations as planting deadlines loom for crop insurance purposes. Irrigated cotton fields are doing well. Many dryland cotton acres have been dry planted due to lack of sufficient soil moisture. Peanut planting is complete with most fields having fair to good stands. Sorghum and sunflower planting continues. Pumpkin planting has started. Pastures and ranges are in poor condition but should improve over the next couple of weeks in areas that received sufficient rainfall. Livestock conditions are mostly fair to good with limited supplemental feeding taking place.

ROLLING PLAINS: Dry conditions remain even though scattered showers fell across most of the Rolling Plains, but few totaled more than a half inch in any one location. Winds which accompanied the rain ranged from 65-70 mph in some areas. Counties still need runoff in ponds and stock tanks. Tank levels are getting lower, and several have gone dry. The rains should help to get some of the skimpy cotton up from sandy ground but may cause tighter ground to crust over. Pastures and rangeland are getting dryer and shorter on grass. Haygrazer and milo are not looking too bad despite dry conditions.

Wheat harvest is about over, and it is the worst anyone can remember; grain yields were very low. Many producers have harvested or are cutting the first hay crop. Hay yields continue to be disappointing, yielding only about 30 percent to 40 percent of the average. Hay meadows have been slow to recover from the dry conditions. The peach crop looks at though it is only going to be fair. Livestock generally is in good condition.

NORTH: Soil moisture is dwindling. Even after receiving scattered showers, severe drought conditions continue and higher-than-normal temperatures are adding stress to crops and forages. Crops, hay meadows and pastures have been desperately needing rainfall. Grasshoppers have started to become a problem. Cotton crop is in fair to good condition and oats have been 60 percent harvested. Soybeans and sorghum are in fair to good condition. The wheat harvest is averaging around 40 bushels per acre, and wheat quality is good. Peach growers not getting much yield from early peaches due to late frost, but later-season peaches look fine. Blackberry yields were down due to shortage of chilling hours. Sweet potato producers are about to wrap up transplanting slips.

EAST: From 0 to 2 inches of rain fell throughout the area. Daytime temperatures in the mid-90's F contributed to worsening drought-like conditions. Due to higher costs for fertilizer, producers have been cutting back on the amount used per acre. In dry counties, fertilization has stopped altogether. Hay is being cut and baled, though yields are down. Producers are finding slow regrowth from their first cuttings, and this has shown signs of stress. In areas that received measurable rainfall, improved grass growth in pastures and hay fields was reported. Cattle remain in fair to good condition, and markets have been stronger. Watermelons and other summer vegetables are being harvested.. All reporting counties need rain.

FAR WEST: Soil moisture has been from very short to adequate, and ranges and pastures are in very poor to good condition. Cotton is 55 percent to 100 percent planted. Winter wheat is in very poor condition and 100 percent headed. Wildfires in Jeff Davis county have finally been put out. There have been widely scattered showers with moisture accumulations from 0.5 inch to 1.5 inches. Temps have already hit the triple-digit mark. Rain is needed.

WEST CENTRAL: Light showers during the week cooled down temperatures in many areas. Cotton producers continued to plant but have slowed down in some areas due to lack of soil moisture. Planted cotton is off to a good start. Small grain harvest is under way. Cutting and baling some coastal bermuda and sudan hay continues. Hay supplies are still short and prices are high. Range and pasture conditions continue to decline due to high temperatures and lack of rainfall. Forages are dying out, and grasses are going dormant. Livestock remain in fair to good body condition. Pecan crops are in fair shape, but yields are expected to be light to moderate. Spraying for casebearer in pecan orchards still under way. Peach crop looks to be almost non-existent and very few peach trees have shown fruit.

CENTRAL: Soil moisture ranges from short to very short. Eighty percent of the hay fields have had their first cutting and producers are reporting less-than-normal yields. Corn and sorghum are both in critical stages of production and could benefit from moisture this week.

SOUTHEAST: Conditions have been extremely dry until this past week. Rain received came at a good time because pastures had been suffering. Overall, crops look fair, but many of them have been replanted due to dry weather. Some rice planting was delayed due to a lack of water and was now being planted. Chambers County received 17 inches of rain in one day, flooding the area and increasing the likelihood of losing some crops in the area. No report of any unusual insects or disease; fewer Mexican rice borer moths were reported. Livestock are doing well this week. Pecans had begun their June drop, but that may stop due to the recent rainfall. Grasshoppers are active and spraying for them has begun. The peach crop is light, and the first set of semi-clings are being harvested.

SOUTHWEST: While parts of the region received some rain on June 1, more than half of the region remains dry. About 70 percent of the region, especially the more southwestern portion, has only received about 3.1 inches of rain during the last 235 days. The region missed spring. Pastures, ranges and yard grasses are decimated. Forage is gone except for deferred pastures. Stocking rates have been reduced substantially and cattle continued to receive heavy supplementation. On the positive side, recent rains have helped alleviate drought conditions and have offset irrigation restrictions. Irrigated fields are currently doing well, with onions, green beans, potatoes and cucumbers for pickling progressing nicely. Corn, sorghum, cotton, peanuts, pecans, cantaloupes and watermelons are also making good progress under heavy irrigation. Crops under dryland conditions generally are not making any progress.

COASTAL BEND: Good rainfall totals were recorded from 0.2 inches to 11 inches. Rain will help alleviate the extreme drought conditions with hay pastures and rangeland benefitting the most. The benefit to remaining row crops will be positive in some areas and questionable in others. Some row crop producers may plant late sorghum crops or short season hay grazers. Field drainage and standing water are in issue in some areas. Supplemental feeding of livestock continues, however, expected improvements in pasture conditions may reduce hay feeding demands.

SOUTH: Throughout the region, soil moisture conditions remained short to very short. Recent rainfall provided slight relief to drought-stricken range and pastures, but not enough to benefit row crops. It did, however, allow irrigation producers to shut down irrigation equipment for a few days. Extreme dry conditions will require more than the 1.5 inches of rain reported in some areas. Corn and cotton have made some progress. There has been some insect activity, but no pesticide application has been needed during the week. Irrigated sorghum progressed well. Watermelons continued to develop in the fields, and the cabbage harvest is near completion. Onion harvesting continues this week with several late onion fields awaiting harvest, which will take place later on this month.