Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 8/26/19

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 2 33 61 4
Topsoil Moisture 3 26 66 5
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus


DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
5.7            6.1               6.4            6.4 
CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Apples 1 2 34 60 3
Corn 12 23 31 29 5
Cotton 7 11 24 45 13
Hay 1 5 32 59 3
Pasture 2 12 40 42 4
Peanuts 3 6 31 46 14
Sorghum 1 10 30 53 6
Soybeans 3 9 30 48 10
Sweet Potatoes 1 5 33 49 12
Tobacco: Flue-cured 4 11 29 50 6
Tobacco: Burley 0 6 39 55 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 Dented 90 84 89 90
Corn Mature 68 51 64 67
Cotton Setting Bolls 96 94 90 94
Cotton Bolls Opening 15 N/A N/A 12
Soybeans Blooming 92 85 94 92
Soybeans Setting Pods 73 64 73 74
HARVESTED:
Apples 43 33 26 32
Corn for Grain 19 N/A 11 16
Corn for Silage 54 46 55 51
Hay: Second Cutting 95 91 87 84
Hay: Third Cutting 32 25 23 29
Peaches 88 83 86 83
Tobacco: Flue-cured 36 29 49 46
Tobacco: Burley 11 N/A N/A 14

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Much needed rain received Saturday. This rain was much
needed by cotton and soybeans.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station

Hot weather still hurting crops showers are spotty. Tobacco
harvest quality varies
Gary Cross – Person County Extension

Corn harvest picked up significantly last week with mixed
yield results. Fields that were severely stressed by drought
in June and early July produced 130 bushel per acre yields
and other fields, also stressed by drought, are producing
50-60 bushels per acre. Soil type and scattered showers
during ear set seem to be the difference maker. Soybeans
continue to look good to excellent across the county
Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension

The heat and humidity over the last month has been
devastating to many crops. The tobacco crop has been
stressed and diseases have shown up all over the county.
We have seen Granville Wilt, Fusarium Wilt and Black
shank in many fields. The vegetable crops have suffered
due to lack of rain. Hay fields and pastures are suffering as
well. Soybeans look good from the road or path, but the
heat damaged the blooms. With cooler weather and rain
now hopefully they can bloom again a start setting pods.
Charles Mitchell – Franklin County Extension

Rain showers and thunderstorms brought some much
needed moisture to parts of the county. Precipitation levels
were variable across the county and ranged from around
.5" to nearly 3", with most areas receiving around 1.5". The
rain was a welcome sight for most farmers as some crops,
especially corn, had begun to show drought stress.
Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension

Rainfall was above average with 1"-3" across the counties
with some sections in western Swain county reporting
nearly 3" in short period of about 1 hour from possible
'Cloudburst" that caused landslides on "Fire Scars" from
wildfires of Fall 2017. Temperatures went from hot to mild
with near average temperatures overall.
Robert Hawk - Jackson County Extension

Rain over the last week was spotty but still widespread.
Tobacco harvest is underway and tobacco looks good.
Peanuts look very good, as does the cotton. Pastures in
general are in good shape, if not overgrazed.
Michael Yoder – Wake County Extension

Corn harvest continues with dryland yields being reported
well below average. Irrigated corn still performing well.
Soybeans continue to look good across the area. Lot of
late cotton acreage blooming hard as we reach time frame
for normal last harvestable bolls being set. Recent rains
have been beneficial.
Mac Malloy - Robeson County Extension

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