Ohio
Even better than “knee high by the Fourth of July,” 14 percent of corn was tasseled by that date, according to the NASS Ohio office. That compares to 2 percent for the five-year average.
However, there’s a big gap between early and late planted corn this year. Late planted corn was just about knee high, according to Pierce Paul, Ohio State University extension specialist in corn and small grain diseases. Disease in corn is low but the next couple of weeks arecritical to get on protective fungicides.
Wheat was plagued by head scab this year and that produced vomitoxin. “We’ve had quite a bit of that in some parts of the state,” Paul said. “It is not all over – not everybody has the problem. That is a concern because animals are sensitive to the toxin, especially pigs.”
Once vomitoxin is in the field there is not a lot to be done. To minimize the damages, Paul suggested turning the combine fan on high to blow out some of the diseased grain.
Rainfall for the week ending July 4 was below normal. That brought favorable conditions for hay producers; 98 percent of the first cutting of alfalfa is completed and 93 of the first cutting of other hay was complete. Eighteen percent of soybeans were blooming, which is 2 behind the five-year average.
By Celeste Baumgartner
Ohio Correspondent
Kentucky
The hot temperatures of June gave way to a short-lived cool spell the first few days of this month, but the heat and lack of consistent rainfall has left some crops in need of moisture.
Crops are basically in good shape at this point. The latest report from the NASS Kentucky Office lists the corn crop as being in mostly good condition, with 1 percent rated very poor, 4 poor, 18 fair, 57 good and 20 excellent.
Timely June rains have put the crop on the fast track, as corn silking stands at 51 percent, well ahead of last year’s 21 and the five-year average of 38.
Soybean emergence was at 96 percent, ahead of 91 this time last year. The crop was reported to be 1 percent very poor, 2 poor, 10 fair, 57 good and 30 excellent.
Tobacco continued to be in good shape with reports noting 28 percent of set tobacco was less than 12 inches high, 39 percent from 12-24 inches in height and 33 percent over 24 inches tall. Overall the crop was listed as being 61 percent good and 20 excellent.
Winter wheat harvesting was almost complete as of July 4, with 95 percent of the crop in as compared to 89 at this time in 2009.
By Tim Thornberry
Kentucky Correspondent
Michigan Six days were suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 4, according to the NASS Michigan field office. Dry conditions enabled farmers to resume work outside after the extensive thunderstorms of the previous week.
One grower from the west-central part of the Lower Peninsula said, “I have never seen corn six feet tall by the fourth of July.” Gerald Tillman, deputy director of Michigan NASS, said the progress of field corn is “big news.” However, there are still some fields inconsistent in their growth. Tillman noted the winter wheat harvest started last week.
For fruits and vegetables, he said nobody reported anything on either extreme of the spectrum from excellent to poor.
The NASS report provided numerical ratings for condition of the following crops: corn, 30 percent excellent, 46 good, 18 fair and the rest either poor or very poor; all hay, 21 percent excellent, 49 good, 22 fair and the rest poor or very poor; winter wheat, 17 percent excellent, 62 good, 18 fair and the rest poor or very poor; dry beans, 17 percent excellent, 32 good, 35 fair and the rest poor or very poor; oats, 22 percent excellent, 58 good, 18 fair and the rest poor or very poor; and pasture, 17 percent excellent, 62 good, 19 fair and the rest poor or very poor.
Also of some note, the report stated that sugar beet producers are looking at a potential record yield.
By Kevin Walker
Michigan Correspondent
Tennessee
Though temperatures were hot as firecrackers during the week ending July 4, crops across the state remained in good condition, according to NASS.
An absence of rain throughout much of the state during the last month is quite a different scenario than the torrents that flooded the middle and western parts of Tennessee in May. As a result, Gov. Phil Bredesen has asked twice for federal farm assistance for Tennessee counties. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack approved the requests, making 35 counties eligible.
According to NASS, 39 percent of the state’s corn crop and 21 percent of winter wheat suffered moderate to severe damage because of floods in May. Other crops suffered damage, as did access roads, buildings, equipment and other farm infrastructure.
Every day in the week ending on the Fourth was suitable for fieldwork, according to NASS. Topsoil moisture levels were rated 44 percent adequate, 38 short, 16 very short and 2 surplus, while subsoil moisture levels were 11 percent very short, 30 short, 57 adequate and 2 surplus.
Conditions for corn, cotton, hay, soybeans, tobacco, pastures and cattle had high numbers in the “good” category while most had very few or no numbers in the “very poor” category, according to NASS.
“Another week without rain coupled with temperatures in the high 90s has significantly stressed row-crops, pasture and hay fields,” explained John Wilson, Blount County agent. “Tobacco is showing drought stress compounded by some disease pressure. Some cattle producers have begun feeding hay due to poor pasture growth. Second cutting hay is looking slim and excess nitrate build-up in hay is a concern.”
Mannie Bedwell, agent for Hamblen County, echoed Wilson’s warning of a lack of rain causing crop stress: “We need a good slow widespread soaking rain. Double crop soybeans and late planted tobacco are showing signs of drought stress.”
By Tesa Nauman
Tennessee Correspondent |
