Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 9/30/19

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 14 41 45 0
Topsoil Moisture 27 44 29 1
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
6.8               6.9               4.8            4.4 

CROP CONDITION PERCENT 
VP P F G EX
Cotton 8 22 25 36 9
Pasture 9 33 38 18 2
Peanuts 3 7 29 48 13
Sorghum 1 16 32 49 2
Soybeans 4 14 32 42 8
Sweet Potatoes 1 6 42 44 7

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:
Cotton Bolls Opening 85 76 84 80
Soybeans Dropping Leaves 59 45 53 46
HARVESTED:
Apples 77 71 75 72
Corn for Grain 87 81 82 81
Corn for Silage 92 89 95 92
Hay: Third Cutting 73 63 63 67
Peanuts Threshed 18 N/A N/A N/A
Sorghum for Grain 36 33 25 26
Soybeans 14 13 N/A N/A
Sweet Potatoes 47 35 24 31
Tobacco: Flue-cured 88 79 84 83
Tobacco: Burley 53 40 55 60

COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT REPORTS
Dry, hot conditions for the month of September are
starting to impact grass and hay lands significantly.
Dwayne Tate – Alleghany, Watauga, Caldwell, Mitchell,
McDowell Alexander County Extension

Temperatures remained hot and above normal for
period. Some scattered to widespread thunderstorms
dropped about .50" of rainfall to moisten and provide
relief for the abnormally dry conditions, mostly for the
topsoil layer.Robert Hawk - Jackson, Swain County Extension

Franklin County is extremely dry right now. Some
places have seen less than .25 inches of rain the
entire month of September. The tobacco that is left in
the field is wasting away quickly. We had the potential
for an excellent soybean crop 3-4 weeks ago, but with
the drought we are losing yield daily. Pastures are
looking dry and hay fields are extremely dry.
Charles Mitchell – Franklin, Halifax & Nash County Extension

Conditions remain very dry and concerns are growing
about effect on late maturity soybean, late cotton, and
peanut. Some soil moisture would aid peanut
digging. Tobacco harvest continues with remaining
crop a challenge due to declining leaf quality. Dry
conditions have also limited hay growth that will
impact the last cutting of the season.
Mac Malloy – Robeson County Extension

Conditions are very dry, rain is needed to finish
maturing sweet potatoes.
Don Nicholson – Harnett, Johnston, Wake, Wayne, Wilson
County Extension

Hot and dry conditions are causing premature leaf
drop in some soybeans.
Cathy Herring – Central Crops Research Station

Tobacco is out of the field, peanut harvest is in full
swing, cotton is mostly defoliated and starting to
harvest. Carrie Ortel – Pitt County Extension

Dry and Hot weather continues. Soybeans are
dropping leaves with some harvest taking place.
Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension

Defoliant materials applied to about half of cotton.
Anticipate harvest to begin soon on more acres. Still
isolated fields of unharvested corn. Corn yield is
incredibly low with many growers harvesting between
15-55 bu/ac. Lack of rainfall beginning to show stress
to peanuts, especially those planted late.
Mike Carroll – Craven County Extension

Extremely dry all crops under severe stress.
Gary Cross – Person County Extension

For the full report, click here.