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Production
Estimates and Crop Assessment Division |
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Production
Estimates and Crop Assessment Division |
October 2, 2002
Tropical storm Isidore deluged the Gulf Coast states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida with torrential rains before moving across the Eastern Corn Belt and the Northeast to ease the drought. Most summer crops are mature and ready to be harvested. Parts of southern Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio gripped by drought during much of the growing season finally received rain to replenish moisture reserves. The recent rains slowed harvesting operations in parts of the south and southeast. Corn harvesting has begun and soybeans are dropping leaves. Harvesting of the rice crop is well under way. Over 75 percent of the cotton bolls have opened and the recent heavy rains in the southern states may affect fiber quality. Harvesting of the peanut crop has commenced in the southeast. Winter wheat plantings have just begun and emergence should benefit from the improved soil moisture conditions.
Cumulative precipitation for the period September 20-30, 2002, shows a swath of wetness stretching from the Gulf Coast to the Northeast. Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama received most of the rain from tropical storm Isidore. Parts of northeastern Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, the Boot Heel of Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania also received widespread rains. In particular, the drought situation in Missouri showed improvement (soil moisture analysis (September 30, 2002).
According to NASS (September 30, 2002), about 20 percent of the corn crop has been harvested. The percentage of the corn crop in Very Poor - Poor condition is as follows: Pennsylvania (65 percent), Ohio (60 percent), Missouri (49 percent), North Carolina (45 percent), Indiana (42 percent), and Illinois (30 percent). Soybean harvesting is well under way. The percentage of the soybean crop in Very Poor - Poor condition is: Ohio (53 percent), Missouri (49 percent), Indiana (34 percent), and Illinois (26 percent). Cotton bolls are now fully open and heavy rains at harvest can result in loss of fiber quality. Cotton harvesting delays are likely in the south following the recent torrential rains associated with tropical storm Isidore. About 20 percent of the peanut crop has already been harvested. Winter wheat plantings have already commenced and emergence should benefit from the earlier rains.
