Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 5/20/19

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT 
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 4 14 79 3
Topsoil Moisture 4 25 67 4
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
6.1                5.7              3.4             5.3 
CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Apples 0 1 1 97 1
Barley 0 2 31 64 3
Corn 1 3 34 56 6
Cotton 0 0 35 62 3
Hay 0 2 22 72 4
Oats 1 11 31 55 2
Pasture 1 4 27 66 2
Peaches 0 4 22 59 15
Tobacco: Flue-cured 0 0 25 70 5
Wheat 6 8 34 42 10

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. 

PLANTED:
Corn 93 88 95 95
Cotton 52 40 49 54
Peanuts 45 32 48 46
Sorghum 20 10 17 19
Soybeans 36 25 36 32
Sweet Potatoes 18 13 19 14
Tobacco: Flue-cured 79 68 86 85
Tobacco : Burley 16 10 17 29 
PHENOLOGICAL:
Barley Headed 90 80 89 85
Corn Emerged 80 71 87 87
Soybeans Emerged 18 10 20 15
Wheat Headed 90 80 93 95
HARVESTED:
Hay: First Cutting 56 37 42 40

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS:
The week started off on the cool side with nighttime low temps in
the mid 30's and day time highs in the mid 50's. There were some
reports of light frost in parts of the county but no reported damage.
Later in the week, temps were unseasonably warm with highs
reaching into the mid 80's. A few scattered rain showers limited
field activities; however, precipitation levels were very light with
most of the county receiving between a trace and .25" of rain. Hay
harvest has begun. Corn and vegetable planting continues.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Planting and transplanting moved into high gear with good
weather for a whole week. Tobacco is doing well with a few
reports of seedling disease or possible herbicide injury in a few
fields. Corn is progressing well, and more soybeans were planted.
A lot of hay was cut and baled during the week, and expect more
to be cut this week. Pastures are in good shape with cool season
grasses headed out, so forage growth is expected to slow as
temperatures rise. Paul Westfall - Granville County Extension
Increasingly dry conditions are causing delays in planting
soybeans. All crops in the area need rain. The unseasonably high
temperatures are not good for spring planted crops.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station

Crops are looking good. Scattered frost on May 15th but no
reported damage. Starting to get a little dry and the scattered
showers have helped but not all areas of the county received
rainfall. Julia Houck – Ashe County Extension

Soil conditions have dried out rapidly with crops beginning to show
signs of stress. Supplemental irrigation has begun. Planting
continues for cotton, soybeans, and peanuts as soil moisture
allows. Strawberry production declining with high temperatures.
Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension

Lots of hay is being cut. Overall, the hay yield seems pretty good
so far. Soybean planting is underway. Fields are starting to turn
dry and could use a few rain showers this week.
Stephen Bishop – Cleveland County Extension

Temperatures from cool to warm with fair weather with rainfall
slightly below average....less than <.50".
Robert Hawk - Jackson County Extension

The corn crop is starting off very strong but will be needing rainfall
soon. The strawberry crop has had good yields so far and flavor
last week was the best of the season. Tobacco transplanting
made great progress last week but that will be slowed without
rainfall. Brandon Poole - Alamance County Extension

Great week for planting some transplanted tobacco suffering from
dry wind conditions. Corn planting almost done. Soybeans keep
progressing. Wheat has been headed out for a while but is thin.
Quite a bit of first cutting hay this week.
Gary Cross - Person County Extension

Excessive heat and low soil moisture stressing plants. Many
farmers are delaying planting of soybean or cotton due to low soil
topsoil moisture. Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension

Based on future weather forecasts, areas may experience
drought-like conditions over next two weeks.
Paige Burns – Richmond County Extension

Field conditions are getting dry. No significant rain has fallen in
four weeks. Subsoil moisture is adequate to keep crops going but
newly seeded soybeans will struggle to emerge if rain does not
come. Pasture growth is slow in spite of hot weather the last two
weeks. Wheat harvest will begin soon and projected yield could
reach 100+ bushels per acre in a few locations.
Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension

For the full report, click here.