Rainfall Scattered but Beneficial
Published: Friday, August 23, 2019
The following is from the Indiana Field Office of USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service for the week ending Aug. 18.
Scattered rains brought relief to some fields last week while others continued to suffer. Soil moisture levels improved statewide, though not all farms received rainfall.
The average temperature for the week was 74.7 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.9 degrees above normal.
The amount of rainfall varied from none to 3.51 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was 1 inch.
There were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork.
Above average temperatures coupled with sporadic and, in some areas, non-existent rainfall caused farmers to continue to worry about adequate precipitation during grain fill. In those areas that received rainfall, crop conditions remained steady or slightly improved while areas receiving little to no rainfall saw conditions deteriorate.
The 2019 Indiana corn and soybean crops were in much worse shape than they were during the same time in 2018. Growers continued to hope for a late killing frost.
Livestock producers in areas that were devoid of rainfall began to supplement feed because pastures were no longer adequate for the nutrition needs of their livestock.
Topsoil moisture was rated very short, 15 percent; short, 41 percent; adequate, 41 percent; surplus, 3 percent.
Subsoil moisture was rated very short, 13 percent; short, 37 percent; adequate, 48 percent; surplus, 2 percent.
The crop progress schedule (last week, previous week, 2018 and 5-year average) showed: corn, silking 89, 79, 100, 100; corn, dough 43, 28, 84, 76; corn, dented 7, 1, 41, 32; soybeans, blooming 81, 70, 99, 97; soybeans, setting pods 50, 34, 91, 87; alfalfa hay, second cutting 92, 88, 100, 99; alfalfa hay, third cutting 39, 23, 64, 56; other hay, second cutting 85, 78, 99, 95; other hay, third cutting 21, 14, 43, 38.
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