Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 7/30/18

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Topsoil Moisture 7 24 57 12
Subsoil Moisture 8 28 55 9
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
4.5 6.2 6.1 5.7

CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Apples 0 15 37 48 0
Corn 9 28 34 26 3
Cotton 1 14 38 44 3
Hay 3 14 40 39 4
Pasture 4 16 41 35 4
Peaches 0 15 22 62 1
Peanuts 0 2 45 51 2
Sorghum 3 12 39 44 2
Soybeans 2 9 36 47 6
Sweet Potatoes 0 5 45 48 2
Tobacco: Burley 1 4 42 51 2
Tobacco: Flue-cured 4 12 35 44 5
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:
Soybeans Blooming 57 49 64 52
Soybeans Setting Pods 29 21 39 28
Corn Silking 97 94 98 97
Corn Dough 77 63 84 81
Corn Dent 38 23 53 47
Cotton Squaring 94 86 94 94
Cotton Setting Bolls 62 43 65 69
Peanuts Pegging 89 77 91 89
HARVESTED:
Hay: Second Cutting 62 51 62 57
Peaches 49 40 60 60
Tobacco: Flue-cured 17 11 21 18

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Rain showers this week had hindered field work, but have really
helped crops. Corn and pastures are looking very good. Should
have a good second cutting of hay.
Julia Houck – Ashe-Alleghany Co FSA

Weather has been over this period with less rainfall and some
drying. Nearly .50" across counties with near normal
temperatures.
Robert Hawk – Swain County Extension

The week started off wet here, with some areas receiving much
needed rain. In general, soybeans look pretty good throughout the
county. Corn is hit or miss.
Stephen Bishop – Cleveland SWCD

Recent rains have improved conditions for most crops, however,
there are isolated areas that have received too much rain,
negatively affecting tobacco.
Don Nicholson – Agronomist Region 7

Recent rains have been very good for all crops.
Kathy Herring – Central Crops Research

Franklin County is finally receiving much needed rains. For some
fields of tobacco and corn it is too late. Pastures should rebound a
little from the much needed moisture. Soybeans are also looking
better.
Charles Mitchell - Franklin County Extension

Some rains but spotty. Heat has return putting stress on crops.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension

A few scattered afternoon thunderstorms affected parts of the
county but overall it was a relatively dry week with near average
temperatures.
Stanley Holloway - Yancey County Extension

Several storms over the past week have brought much needed
rain to county
Tim Britton – Johnston County Extension

Intense rainfall along the coastal areas of production with growers
reporting 8-16 inches of rainfall. Other areas reporting 4-8 inches
of rainfall. No field work possible this week. Concern of potential
boll or pod abortion due to adverse weather conditions common
for cotton and soybean producers.
Mike Carroll - Carteret County Extension

Growers reporting weekly total rainfall between 5”-15" depending
upon location. Excessive soil saturation prevented all field work.
Remarkable, crops currently withstanding wet soil conditions.
Continued rainfall likely to result in increased pests simply due to
inability to apply fungicides to peanuts, apply herbicides to
soybean and plant growth regulators to cotton. Black light catches
of corn earworm and stinkbugs increasing.
Mike Carroll - Craven County Extension

Excessive rains continued all week with much of the same
expected next week. Corn is close to black layer, but harvest of
early plantings will be delayed due to wetness. Soybean will yet
again be set back by extreme wetness.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

For the full report, click here.