Kentucky experienced near normal temperatures and below normal rainfall over the past week. Precipitation for the week totaled 0.40 inches, 0.63 inches below normal. Temperatures averaged 45 degrees for the week, near normal. Topsoil moisture was rated 15 percent very short, 47 percent short, 37 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture was rated 18 percent very short, 43 percent short, and 39 percent adequate. Days suitable for fieldwork averaged 5.4 out of a possible seven.
Primary activities for this week included stripping tobacco, seeding winter wheat, and harvesting soybeans. As temperatures normalized, rain moved in for much of the state. Despite the precipitation, producers pushed ahead with fieldwork as the harvest season is coming to a close. For many, subsoil remains very dry. The soybean harvest is now 97 percent complete. Currently, tobacco is 72 percent stripped. Winter wheat condition has improved with mild temperatures. With wheat nearly all planted many producers have expressed concern with emergence as there has been an overall lack of rain through the planting season.
Pasture ground remains in overall poor condition despite recent rain. Drought through much of the fall really took a toll and there has not been enough conducive weather recently to aid in rejuvenation. The current hay supply is reported as 2 percent very short, 21 percent short, 68 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus. Many farmers have been supplementing with hay for several weeks now and there is concern for winter hay stocks. There were varied yields during the cutting season that left some producers a little short adding to the worry. Livestock condition is mostly good at this time.
This is the last issue of the 2022 Weekly Crop Weather Report. We thank and are most appreciative of the farmers, county agricultural agents, county FSA offices, soil conservationists, and others who made this report possible by supplying the basic information each week. Thanks to Matthew Dixon and the U.K. Ag Weather Center for supplying the weather data for this report. Also, thanks to the agricultural news media for the professional manner in which they distribute agricultural news across the State. We will be converting to monthly reports for the winter season. Publication of the 2023 weekly series will begin the first week of April.
Categories: Kentucky, Crops