Sept. 28, 2006

Audio MP3(3.6 Mb) Audio Script

SAN ANGELO – Much of West Central Texas has benefitted from early September rains but moisture is again short in much of that region, said Dr. Chris Sansone, Texas Cooperative Extension economist at San Angelo.

"Early-planted small-grain fields are up to good stands, but under severe weed pressure," Sansone said. "But on the brighter side, disease and insect populations have been low."

Small-grain producers continue to plant in fields with adequate moisture last week, he said, and pasture and range conditions were fair.

"A few fields of cotton have been harvested and modules are on the gin yards, but most cotton harvesting will not start for two to three weeks," he said.

District reports show conditions across the rest of the state were as follows:

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were below average most of the week. Isolated showers mid-week were generally less than one-tenth of an inch, and most areas have short to adequate moisture. Corn harvest continues with early yields less than expected. Cotton bolls continue to open, and sorghum is mostly headed and ripening. The peanut crop is fair to good with harvest to begin soon. Wheat is about 65 percent planted. Range conditions are very poor to excellent with most areas in the fair-to-good range. Cattle are in good condition but are being pestered by horn flies and mosquitoes.

SOUTH PLAINS: The weather was mostly cool, dry and windy. Many late-planted cotton fields still need more hot days to mature properly. Peanut harvest continues at a slow pace but should pick up soon. Some sorghum fields are being harvested, but yields are less than expected due to dry conditions during the growing season. The pumpkin harvest is in full swing with average yields but strong prices.

ROLLING PLAINS: Pastures continued to respond well to recent rainfall. Producers were planting small-grain fields, though seed supplies are limited. Cotton harvest continued on dryland acreage. Livestock ponds were still at low levels due to lack of runoff. Livestock remained in fair to good condition.

NORTH: Soil moisture ranged from very short to short with only one county reporting adequate soil moisture. The corn crop is in and soybeans were 70 percent harvested. Cotton was in good condition with 70 percent bolls opening. Wheat planting has begun. Ranchers and farmers have been planting winter forage. A shortage of livestock water continued to plague the area.

EAST: From a half-inch to 5 inches of rain fell last week. With predictions of upcoming rainfall, some producers are planning to plant winter pastures. Producers continued to cull cow herds. Prices remained good on quality cows and calves. Even with recent rainfall, conditions remained poor for grazing, hay and all other agricultural crops. The hay supply remained critically low with producers hoping for one last cutting.. County burn bans remain throughout most of the area.

FAR WEST: Soil moisture ranged from very short to surplus, and range and pastures were in very poor to excellent condition. Cotton and alfalfa were doing well. Wind and widely-scattered showers were reported, and warm days and cool nights continued.

WEST CENTRAL: Very windy with mild daytime temperatures and cool nights marked the week. Wheat planting was in full swing. Some late hay was baled. Range conditions continued to improve after recent rains. Some cattle producers were experiencing lower re-breeding rates due to dry conditions and extreme temperatures. A hard rain with good runoff is needed to fill stock tanks and ponds. Some deer die-off has been noted. Pecans were beginning to show shuck split.

CENTRAL: Most counties have received some rain recently, but more is needed. The cotton harvest continued to progress. Growers who planted oats early have been having armyworm problems in their crops. Producers were still scrambling for hay.

SOUTHEAST: A much-needed 2 inches of rain fell last week across portions of the region. Cattle sales slowed, but will resume if more rain is not received soon. The pecan crop will soon begin shuck split if the crows and squirrels leave anything of the crop. Some ryegrass and winter pasture was planted in hopes of getting some grazing. Peanut acreage is very small, but yields may be better depending on rains. Livestock were doing well.

SOUTHWEST: Recent rains and cooler weather helped but most of the region remained dry. With year-to-date rainfall at about 5.9 inches, this is the second-driest period on record, behind 1956. More rain is needed to sustain fall crops. Cabbage, cucumbers and some southern greens have been planted and are making good progress under heavy irrigation. About 30 percent of the cotton remains in field-stored modules. Peanuts continued to make good progress under heavy irrigation, but yields will be off slightly this season. Record-high temperatures in August affected pod size and heavy infestation of white flies may further reduce yields. The harvest should start by mid-October.

COASTAL BEND: Plentiful rainfall of 2 to 6 inches provided much-needed relief for pastures in the region. Soybeans were ready to harvest, but some producers had to wait for dry weather to get into the fields. The cotton harvest was hampered by the rain. Wet weather caused some cotton to rot in the field, and losses are expected.

SOUTH: Widespread rainfall improved soil conditions for row crops and vegetables, providing much-needed moisture for drought-stricken ranges in the region. Adequate soil moisture was available for dryland wheat and oat planting this week. The sugarcane harvest season may be delayed for a few weeks due to standing water in most fields. The cotton harvest is over, but ginning will continue through October. Land preparation for fresh-market spinach has been delayed because of the Food and Drug Administration's removal of all fresh spinach from retail stores due to the recent E. coli reports. Livestock producers slowed livestock feeding thanks to recent rains making forage available in the pastures.