Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 4/5/21

CROP SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 4, 2021

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT
VS ST A SS
Subsoil Moisture 0 2 54 44
Topsoil Moisture 0 3 56 41
VS= Very Short ST = Short A = Adequate SS = Surplus

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELD WORK
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg.
3.9              4.0             5.9          5.2 

CROP CONDITION PERCENT 
VP P F G EX
Barley 1 25 57 15 2
Oats 2 5 36 57 0
Pasture 1 5 48 44 2
Strawberries 0 1 27 64 8
Wheat 7 14 37 38 4
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. 
No data

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FIELD
Cold temperatures this past week may have caused crop damage
to certain crops, especially fruit. The next week will reveal the
extent of reported damage. – NC AGRONOMY TERRITORY 12

Rainfall was near normal with .80" reported for the
period. Temperatures were below normal and hard
freezes reported in teens and low 20’s. With morning
temperatures so low, strawberry producers had to take extra
measures to save their crop. – JACKSON, SWAIN

The freezing temperatures on Friday and Saturday may have hurt
the wheat crop – PERSON

Excessively wet conditions in the county prevented most
field activities this week. – PAMLICO

Farmers continued soil fumigation, fertilization, and seedbed
preparation on days when soils were dry enough to allow field
work. However, frequent rainfall has delayed efforts to plant crops.
– CRAVEN

Corn planting began this week. The drier conditions are allowing
growers to get into their fields to do other prep work as well.
Wheat is in good condition as most fields show heading.
Strawberry crops look good as well. We are waiting to see how
the Blueberry crops faired after this weekend’s
freezing temperatures. Before the cold weather, that crop
loads looked excellent compared to the past 3 seasons –
BLADEN

Back to back nights of at or below freezing temperatures and a
heavy frost Saturday morning is causing some concern for certain
crops. Damage assessments will continue this coming week
when symptoms of injury will be more apparent. Despite
the adverse weather conditions, farmers will be keeping an eye
on the emergence on corn planted last week as well as watching
for wheat to head. The upcoming weather forecast looks
favorable for more corn planting and other field activities. –
ROBESON

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