Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 9/23/19


SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT 
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 8 34 58 0
Topsoil Moisture 23 37 39 1
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus


DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
6.9            6.2            2.7             4.4 
CROP CONDITION PERCENT
VP P F G EX
Cotton 6 21 31 34 8
Pasture 14 33 34 18 1
Peanuts 4 6 28 46 16
Sorghum 2 17 39 40 2
Soybeans 7 16 32 38 7
Sweet Potatoes 2 5 38 46 9
Tobacco: Burley 0 11 44 45 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 Mature 95 93 96 96
Cotton Bolls Opening 76 61 69 69
Soybeans Dropping Leaves 45 32 38 35
HARVESTED:
Apples 71 62 63 63
Corn for Grain 81 72 75 74
Corn for Silage 89 82 92 87
Hay: Third Cutting 63 61 57 62
Sorghum for Grain 33 28 15 18
Soybeans 13 N/A N/A N/A
Sweet Potatoes 35 20 15 23
Tobacco: Flue-cured 79 69 73 76
Tobacco: Burley 40 32 43 49

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Dry weather conditions are taking their toll on the crops,
pastures and hay fields. Rutherford County has had 3
inches of rain in some areas since the end of July.
Janice Nicholson – Rutherford County Extension

Dry conditions preventing forage crop and small grain
planting. Steve Dillion -

Henderson/Polk/Rutherford/Transylvania County Extension
All crops are suffering from dry weather and low soil
moisture. Soybeans are the only crop that is in good
shape. Pastures are suffering, as is the fall hay crop.
Some of the hay that is being harvested is very low
quality. We need rain.
Paul Westfall – Granville County Extension

Very dry conditions persist throughout the county.
Some producers are already feeding hay. Fescue
pastures have put on little to no growth in September
due to hot and dry conditions. Corn harvest is
underway, with yields varying widely due to which
fields caught rain.
Stephen Bishop – Cleveland County Extension

About done with tobacco harvest. Peanuts are almost
ready to dig for most. Cotton defoliants are being
sprayed. Soybean pods are filling nicely.
Carrie Ortel – Pitt County Extension

Extremely Dry tobacco losing leaf weight and
dropping off the plant. Corn harvest is hit and miss
due to what got rain and what did not. Soybeans continue to
suffer. Pastures are not regenerating due to lack of
rain. Last hay cuttings short.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension

Franklin County is experiencing dry and hot
conditions now. Tobacco will soon be wrapping up.
Soybeans need some water to finish filling out pods.
We are loosing soybean yield each day without
rainfall. Pastures and hay fields are showing signs of
drought now as well.
Charles Mitchell – Franklin, Halifax & Nash County Extension

Dry weather allowed corn harvest to be completed.
Some early soybeans are being harvested.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Growers aggressively harvesting corn and tobacco.
Approximately a third of cotton acres with defoliant
applied. Peanut and sweet potato producers
monitoring for late-season pest and preparation for
harvest
Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension

Corn harvest continues with yields below average.
Tobacco quality continues to decline after Hurricane
Dorian with growers facing difficult situations with
harvest and curing.
Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension

For the full report, click here.