Source: USDA'S NASS NC FIELD OFFICE, 9/2/14

GENERAL: Days suitable for field work 6.4. Topsoil moisture 4% very short, 28% short, 62% adequate and 6% surplus. Subsoil moisture 2% very short, 19% short, 74% adequate and 5% surplus. The state received very little precipitation for the week and average temperatures once again dropped below normal. Reported data for the week shows soybeans blooming at 89%, setting pods at 80%, both in line with 5 year average. Cotton bolls opening recorded at 18%.  Reports for corn showed dough reported at 98%, dented at 91%, mature at 78%, harvested for grain at 22% and harvested for silage at 50%. Flue-cured tobacco harvest set at 48% while Burley is set at 30% harvested. Sweet potato harvest is now underway at 13%. The second cutting of hay showed 90% with 3rd cutting reported at 54%, peaches harvested at 85% and apple harvest at 47%.

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County Extension Agent Reports:
Warm, dry weather predominated the week with temps in the mid to upper 80's most days and very little rain. Hay producers took advantage of the weather conditions as most have now completed their second cutting. Burley tobacco harvest is in full swing and corn silage harvesting is beginning. Stanley Holloway – Yancey County Extension  

Conditions are drying out with no rain in 8-10 days in Region 6. A few early planted sweet potatoes have been harvested. Flue cured tobacco is being heavily harvested at this time.  Mike Wilder – Region 6 Agronomist  

Tobacco harvest is progressing in most of region. Guilford county is the driest county in the region with crops showing the most stress. Soybean cyst nematode damage is present in sandy soils in both early and late planted soybeans. Corn harvest has started in a few areas of the region, but with the hot dry weather coming up in the next week, corn harvest should progress quicker. Hay and pastures are beginning to slow growth with drier weather but chances of rain through next week, will keep farmers on edge about cutting hay. Colby Lambert – Region 9 Agronomist  

Rain free conditions have allowed corn harvest over the majority of the week. Some early planted soybeans in wet fields are losing leaves early. Late planted beans under moderate wet conditions are doing well, while excessively wet fields are spotty. Daniel Simpson – Pamlico County Extension  

Heavy rainfall across the county last week slowed the beginning of corn harvest. Drier weather this week should allow growers to move ahead going into Labor Day weekend. Some lodging has occurred in soybeans due to wet weather. Very little kudzu bug pressure evident across the county - cold winter weather? Growers indicating corn yields on early corn ranging from 150-200 bu per acre. Mark Seitz – Pender County Extension  

Southern corn rust has spread to all corn in the county. Norman Harrell - Wilson County Extension  

Much of Cumberland and Robeson Counties continue to deal with drought conditions. Some areas have received less than 1.5" of rainfall since early July, while others have been more fortunate and crops are good to excellent. The corn harvest is well under way and yields range from 50 to 120 bu/A dryland corn to 230 bu/A plus for irrigated corn. Georgia Love – Agronomist Region 5  

CROP PROGRESS PERCENT – WITH COMPARISONS  
This Week Last Week Last Year 5-Year Avg  
PHENOLOGICAL:      
Soybeans % Blooming 89 n/a 83 93  
Soybeans % Setting Pods 80 69 65 81  
Corn % Dough 98 94 100 100  
Corn % Dented 91 86 96 96  
Corn % Mature 78 55 85 84  
Cotton % Bolls Opening 18 n/a n/a 25  

HARVESTED:      
Apples 47 38 31 29  
Corn for Grain 22 10 19 25  
Corn for Silage 50 39 58 77  
Hay 2nd cutting 90 84 75 88  
Hay 3rd cutting 54 39 25 28  
Peaches 85 82 92 93  
Sweet Potato 13 n/a n/a n/a  
Tobacco: Burley 30 15 69 47  
Tobacco: Flue-cured 48 41 71 54        

CROP CONDITION PERCENT  
VP P F G E X  
Apples 3 5 27 62 3  
Corn 4 12 24 43 17
Cotton 0 4 24 59 13
Pasture  1 12 37 43 7  
Peanuts 0 2 16 66 16  
Sorghum 0 2 30 54 14  
Soybeans 2 5 21 57 15  
Sweet Potatoes 0 1 15 69 15  
Tobacco: Flue-cured 2 8 25 50 15  
Tobacco: Burley 1 1 28 44 26         '

VP = Very Poor  P = Poor  F = Fair  G = Good   EX = Excellent          

SOIL MOISTURE PERCENT   VS ST A SS  
Topsoil Moisture 4 28 62 6  
Subsoil Moisture 2 19 74 5        

VS= Very Short   ST = Short   A = Adequate   SS = Surplus