tn-crop-weather State Tennessee Crop Weather Week Ending Date September 28, 2008 Agricultural Summary The weather this past week across Tennessee was mostly dry allowing for all seven days to be suitable for fieldwork. Producers took advantage of this by making good harvest progress. Virtually all of the corn crop is mature with two-thirds of it harvested. Nearly half of the cotton crop has been defoliated and picking has begun. Soybean development continued to lag behind normal with over half of crop dropping leaves. Harvest of the soybean crop has started on a limited basis. The lack of rainfall continues to have a negative impact on pastures as almost half of the State's acreage was rated in poor-to-very poor condition. As of Friday, topsoil moisture levels were rated 31 percent very short, 42 percent short, and 27 percent adequate. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 34 percent very short, 39 percent short, and 27 percent adequate. Temperatures were near normal across East Tennessee and above normal across the remainder of the state. Rainfall was well below normal across all of Tennessee. Crop Progress Table CROP PROGRESS: This Last 5-Year Week Week 2007 Avg Corn - Mature 95 88 100 99 Corn - Harvested for Grain 66 47 96 80 Cotton - Bolls Opening 87 76 100 87 Cotton - Defoliated 47 23 82 56 Cotton - Harvested 7 n/a 23 13 Soybeans - Dropping Leaves 63 52 86 70 Soybeans - Harvested 8 n/a 25 19 Tobacco - Burley Harvested 75 67 91 89 Tobacco - Dark Air-Cured Harvested 97 93 99 97 Tobacco - Dark Fire-Cured Harvested 87 81 87 89 Crop Condition Table CROP CONDITION: Very Pr Poor Fair Good Exc Cotton 1 7 30 52 10 Range and Pasture 16 31 36 16 1 Soybeans 9 18 33 35 5 Tobacco 2 6 37 46 9 County Agent Comments "Harvesting is well under way. Corn yield has been across the board depending on rainfall throughout the growing season. Cooler weather had kept us out of the fields, but with slightly warmer weather the maturing process has moved along. The main two activities have been shelling corn and spraying cotton defoliate. Next week will be the start of cotton picking for some and for others finishing up harvesting corn." James Griffin, Lauderdale County "Grain harvest is in full swing and cotton defoliation is not far behind. Early yields have been a bit lower than expected for cotton but should range from 600-1200 depending on location of summer rainfall. It will take a significant rain event to supply the moisture needed for winter wheat planting." Tracey Sullivan, Haywood County "We are still waiting on the rain. Pastures are VERY dry!" Laurie Mobley, Houston County "Davidson County is currently experiencing a moderate drought condition due to the lack of adequate rainfall over the last month. We are now entering the month of October, which is usually our driest month of the year." David Cook, Davidson County "Continued dry weather is making for excellent harvest conditions but hampering fall planting intentions! Corn harvest is in high gear with yields from 40 to 240 bushels per acre being reported with 80 to 120 being the most common yields reported. Wheat beans are in need of more moisture to help fill pods. Cotton producers continue to apply defoliants, with very limited harvest activity. Pastures are in need of water, most producers grazing fall hay. Most producers reporting adequate hay stocks provided they do not have to start feeding this fall." Ed Burns, Franklin County "The drought is showing effects in all aspects of farming now. Second and third hay cutting is 95% complete. Hay was short and thin. Pastures are dried up and some are feeding hay now. Pond and stream water levels are very low. Corn harvest is near completion. We need rain!" John J. Goddard, Loudon County For the Period: Monday September 22, 2008 To: Sunday September 28, 2008 TEMPERATURE ------------ PRECIPITATION ------------ ----------- CURR RAIN SINCE SINCE STATION HI LO AVG DFN WEEK DAYS JAN 1 DFN APR 1 DFN ------- -- -- -- -- ----- --- ----- ----- ----- ---- Ames_Plantation 88 51 70 +3 0.24 1 45.10 +5.96 29.42 +4.23 Tri-City_RGNL_A 83 46 65 +1 0.41 2 27.26 -4.44 16.34 -4.88 Brownsville_TN 87 52 72 +3 0.00 0 39.72 +0.66 23.47 -1.63 Chattanooga/Lov 85 51 70 +2 0.00 0 31.74 -8.60 17.60 -6.84 Clarksville_Sew 88 49 70 +5 0.00 0 34.59 -3.08 21.46 -2.39 Cookeville 86 45 66 +2 0.00 0 32.87 -10.08 19.95 -7.80 Covington 86 55 70 +2 0.00 0 39.99 +1.68 24.33 -0.12 Crossville_AP 80 46 66 +3 0.00 0 34.17 -7.72 21.00 -5.69 Dayton 83 47 67 +0 0.00 0 31.51 -10.72 19.21 -6.82 Dickson_AG 87 48 69 +3 0.00 0 37.06 -3.30 22.14 -4.04 Dover_1W 88 51 70 +5 0.00 0 38.65 -0.56 21.29 -3.85 Dyersburg 88 54 71 +2 0.00 0 31.68 -5.60 18.14 -6.16 Erwin_1W 81 43 63 +1 0.77 2 28.84 -9.38 19.05 -7.52 Huntingdon_Wate 88 51 70 +4 0.00 0 37.77 -1.90 21.17 -4.58 Jackson_Exp_Stn 88 50 71 +3 0.00 0 46.44 +7.58 27.72 +2.29 Kingston_AG 85 52 69 +4 0.00 0 34.17 -9.78 21.31 -6.39 Knoxville_AP 83 53 68 +2 0.08 1 33.40 -2.51 21.18 -1.27 Lewisburg 85 40 66 +0 0.00 0 34.16 -6.69 22.36 -3.75 Lexington_TN 87 51 70 +2 0.00 0 47.64 +9.82 30.28 +5.81 Linden 86 44 68 +3 0.00 0 44.88 +3.60 27.79 +1.67 Martin 89 52 71 +4 0.00 0 38.06 -1.26 20.22 -5.69 Mc_Minnville_Tn 86 50 70 +3 0.00 0 26.23 -13.92 16.14 -9.42 Memphis_AG 89 53 71 +1 0.00 0 48.26 +10.11 30.96 +6.48 Milan 90 48 70 +4 0.00 0 42.08 +1.45 24.93 -1.91 Murfreesboro_5N 89 44 68 +2 0.03 1 30.62 -9.60 18.47 -7.81 Nashville_Metro 88 52 72 +4 0.03 1 34.92 -0.93 22.10 -1.36 Newcomb 84 43 65 +3 0.08 1 28.98 -12.45 18.45 -8.96 Oneida 84 47 66 +4 0.05 1 25.04 -16.39 19.31 -8.10 Portland_TN 85 53 69 +4 0.00 0 39.20 +0.55 24.89 -0.30 Pulaski_Water_P 85 47 67 -2 0.00 0 39.51 -1.59 25.44 -0.09 Savannah_6SW 86 49 69 +0 0.00 0 46.91 +4.79 29.86 +3.38 Sparta_TN 85 49 68 +3 0.00 0 35.07 -6.35 23.05 -3.65 Springfield 86 48 69 +3 0.00 0 38.16 +1.00 24.70 +0.57 Springhill 85 47 68 +3 0.00 0 34.30 -6.53 22.67 -3.37 Union_City 88 51 69 +4 0.03 1 34.89 -3.41 18.69 -6.26 Waynesboro_TN 86 42 66 +1 0.00 0 38.50 -4.32 24.30 -2.56 For more weather information visit www.awis.com or call 1-888-798-9955. Copyright 2008: Agricultural Weather Information Service, Inc. All rights reserved. More information contact: Debra K. Kenerson; State Director 615-781-5300.