State crops faced stress for another week as the record heat and drought conditions continued. The latest NASS Kentucky field office’s report reflects that; it noted the corn here is rated as 19 percent very poor, 29 percent poor, 32 percent fair, 19 percent good and 1 percent excellent.

Curt Judy, agriculture extension agent in Todd County, said as it stands some producers there could have already lost half of their crop. “We’re going to take a really big hit on the corn and, of course if it doesn’t rain, we’re going to take a bad hit on the beans, too,” he said.

The NASS report, as of July 1, listed the condition of the soybean crop as 15 percent very poor, 25 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 23 percent good and 1 percent excellent. Both corn and soybeans continue to be in an advanced growth stage for this time of year and both are declining in condition because of the dry conditions.

Tobacco farmers will soon be feeling the same pain. Currently, the crop is reported to be 9 percent very poor, 20 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 30 percent good and 4 percent excellent. But rain will be needed to soon to advance the crop.

Pasture conditions have deteriorated, to the point that most are in poor condition. To be exact, the NASS report rated pastures as 28 percent very poor, 36 percent poor, 26 percent fair, with only 9 percent listed as good and a mere 1 percent excellent.

Record-breaking temperature highs took a toll on crops across the Volunteer State, according to NASS for the week ending July 1.

The extreme heat and lack of substantial rainfall particularly hit hard with corn and pastures. Thirty-two percent of the corn crop was rated in fair condition, with 29 percent rated poor. Twenty- seven percent of pastures were 27 percent fair and 38 percent poor.

The majority of tobacco, soybeans and cotton were in fair to good condition, according to the NASS report.

Topsoil moisture levels were rated low on almost all farmland in the state: 56 percent were very short, 38 percent were short and 6 percent adequate. Subsoil moisture levels were rated 46 percent very short, 41 percent short and 13 percent adequate, the report stated.

“The lack of rain and the 100-plus-degree temperatures are deteriorating the county’s crops at a rapid rate, especially the non-irrigated corn. These weather conditions could not have come at a worse time, with all of the corn crop trying to pollinate. Cotton and beans seem to be holding up better, but with the forecast for more of the same, these too will be suffering by this time next week. Pastures have dried up and cattle producers are feeding hay,” said extension agent Steve Burgess, of Carroll County.

“Crops have really begun to suffer and go backwards this week. Rain is needed yesterday,” reported Crockett County agent Richard Buntin.

“Corn twisting, pastures dying, producers feeding hay, perilla mint toxicosis in cattle; very hot and dry here. Zero precipitation (from a spotted shower) since June 11,” Amanda Mathenia, agent for Decatur County, stated.