Source: USDA NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 8/7/17

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 10 26 63 1
Subsoil Moisture 6 21 70 3
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
6.6             6.1                5.8           5.1 

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Apple 0 0 40 59 1
Corn 1 4 21 51 23
Cotton 2 6 24 57 11
Hay 1 11 29 49 10
Pasture 2 12 29 53 4
Peanuts 0 2 24 61 13
Sorghum 0 3 26 64 7
Soybeans 1 4 25 55 15
Sweet Potato 0 4 31 60 5
Tobacco: Flue-cured 3 8 31 52 6
Tobacco: Burley 0 1 51 48 0
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent


CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS 
This Week  Last Week  Last Year 5 Yr. Avg.
PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn % Dough 92 86 92 89
Corn % Dent 67 57 72 66
Corn % Mature 26 n/a 23 21
Cotton % Setting Bolls 74 67 81 80
Peanut % Pegging 97 92 94 96
Soybeans % Blooming 76 67 75 64
Soybeans % Setting Pods 50 41 46 36
HARVESTED:
Apples 18 12 20 17
Hay: Second Cutting 78 64 71 66
Hay: Third Cutting 12 n/a n/a n/a
Peaches 74 61 65 72
Tobacco Flue-cured 27 22 27 26

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS

Good weather over last week with near average temperatures.
Across the two counties of Jackson and Swain, approximately .75"
of rainfall, which is near normal.
Robert Hawk – Swain County Extension

Conditions for the week were predominately warm and drier with
most of the county receiving less than .5" of rain for the week.
Some livestock producers took advantage of the drier weather to
harvest second cutting hay. Vegetable crop harvest continues.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Ext

Corn crop is drying down fast, expect some to begin harvest in 2
weeks if conditions remain dry. Hearing many sprayed for boll
worm in cotton and feel CEW will move to soybeans. As many
soybean fields are flowering now, we are encouraging growers to
scout for pod-feeding insects. The area could use a shower of
rain. Roy Thagard – Greene County Extension

Dry conditions continued but milder temperatures lessened the
impact on crops. Light, scattered showers over the weekend.
Some early planted corn has been harvested. Expect more
harvest work to commence this week.
Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension

Many farmers have made the first pass on harvesting tobacco.
Tobacco is being irrigated due to lack of rainfall. Corn showing
signs of drought stress. Soybeans look OK, but will need rain
soon. Paul McKenzie – Warren County Extension

Very dry, little to no rain in most areas.
Danelle Cutting – Rowan County Extension

Corn harvest has begun in a few spots around the county. Cotton,
soybeans, and peanuts have benefited from sporadic rainfall over
the past month. Howard Wallace – Hoke County Extension

Dry and hot weather continues to slow tobacco harvest and sweet
potato growth. Tim Britton – Johnston County Extension

Black Shank is starting to show up in tobacco. Many farmers
started picking corn this week and I suspect corn harvest to be in
full swing in a couple of weeks. Insects showing up in soybeans
and cotton. Many parts of our county are very dry. We need some
rain. Blake Sandlin – Duplin County Extension

Scattered showers over the weekend brought some rain to the
area, but far short of what is needed. Corn harvest has begun,
but weekly showers will delay some growers.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Dry weather and increased heat stressing crops no relief in sight.
Gary Cross - Person County Extension

Hot, dry conditions have taken a toll on most crops that are still
maturing, especially on the lower stalk tobacco that has yet to be
harvested. Don Nicholson – Agronomist Region 7

We started to see a little dry weather stress in crops this week;
however, it looks like a wet week ahead. A lot of hay was cut over
this past week. Stephen Bishop – Cleveland SWCD

Corn, soybean and wheat crop has benefitted from recent rains
and looks very good. Cabbage planting has started. Farmers are
scouting soybeans for pests and are starting to find corn
earworms. Al Wood – Pasquotank County Extension

Carteret - Area with the county are experiencing low soil moisture
and high temperatures while other areas are receiving ample
rainfall. Thus, crop development (or stress) varies greatly. Craven
- Soil moisture is low to very low yet scattered rainfalls are
provided adequate rainfall to prevent excessive crop stress in
most areas. However, those unfortunate areas not receiving this
rainfall are showing drought stress to all crops.
Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension

For the full report, click here.