Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 8/24/20


SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 1 8 74 17
Topsoil Moisture 1 7 79 13
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
4.8                4.3           5.7           6.2 

CROP CONDITION PERCENT 
VP P F G EX
Apples 0 8 20 72 0
Corn 5 10 24 49 12
Cotton 6 11 25 49 9
Hay 0 4 33 57 6
Pasture 1 5 29 61 4
Peanuts 1 5 22 54 18
Sorghum 2 4 35 52 7
Soybeans 4 8 26 51 11
Sweet Potatoes 1 4 20 64 11
Tobacco: Flue-Cured 4 10 36 43 7
Tobacco: Burley 1 5 42 52 0


CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS 
This Week Last Week Last Year 5 Yr. Avg. 
PHENOLOGICAL:
Corn Dough 96 92 96 97
Corn Dented 85 74 88 89
Corn Mature 58 36 63 64
Cotton Setting Bolls 85 77 95 93
Peanuts Pegging 96 92 100 100
Soybeans Blooming 94 88 90 92
Soybeans Setting Pods 76 62 70 71
HARVESTED
Apples 24 20 40 31
Corn for Silage 51 39 52 50
Corn for Grain 10 N/A 16 13
Hay: Second Cutting 91 87 94 85
Hay: Third Cutting 29 18 30 24
Peaches 78 74 87 83
Tobacco: Flue-Cured 43 37 34 42
VP = Very Poor P = Poor F = Fair G = Good EX = Excellent

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIELD
There were nice conditions with rainfall from .25"-.50" with near
normal temperatures. - JACKSON / SWAIN

Crops are looking better now that the heavy rains have stopped.
Hit and miss showers are more the norm. Temperatures have also
cooled down a little. Vegetable crops are later than normal and
the market is still accepting them. Tobacco in some locations is
coming off quick and holding on in other areas due to late nitrogen
applications and rain. Hay fields and pastures have recovered
some with the rain and cooler temperatures. - FRANKLIN /
HALIFAX / NASH

Tobacco harvest continues to move slowly. Some fields have not
yet had any leaves pulled, while others have only the top leaves
remaining. Many fields are slow to turn color. Disease pressure
has been pretty high in some areas, too. Continued showers have
helped spur growth in soybeans and improved conditions. Some
hay is being harvested, mostly crabgrass, johnsongrass, and
whatever else is growing. Pastures are holding up with the rainfall,
but heat and humidity are still holding back cool season grass
growth. Fall fertilizer applications are starting to be made on
pastures. - GRANVILLE

Rain has brought some relief that helped pastures. Lower leaf
tobacco harvest continues. Rain brought a little improvement to
corn and soybeans. - PERSON

Corn harvest has begun but progress was slowed by afternoon
rains. Soybean condition has improved with lower temperatures
and more moisture. Corn has matured quickly but quality will be
impacted with continued rains. - PAMLICO

Small areas of Craven and Carteret received 6-10 inches
or rainfall through the weekend while other areas would benefit
greatly from any rainfall. This caused variation in crop condition.
Soybean, cotton and peanut maturation continues, but are weeks
behind normal growth stage. Insect populations
reaching threshold in all of these crops. Corn harvest preparation
continues but scattered rainfall and excessive grain moisture are
prohibiting harvest. - CRAVEN

Mostly dry conditions prevailed during the week. Corn harvest
progressed well. Reported yields are average to slightly
above average. Some poor test weights are being reported, likely
a function of the intense heat in early July. Soybeans are doing
well. - PENDER

Full field activities were delayed by scattered showers through the
week. Corn harvest is behind normal schedule for this time of
year. - ROBESON

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