Crop progress report 05/24: Washington crops benefited from some nice moisture

From NASS There were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, down from 5.4 the previous week. Crop conditions and emergent progress benefited from a mixture of rain and sunshine throughout the state. Field crops looked good. Rain hampered some final planting and fieldwork. In western Washington, the warmer weather last week helped grass hay grow at a faster rate. Some hay and haylage was harvested. Most of the corn was in the ground. Several vegetable producers observed big increases in Community Supported Agricultural requests. Livestock producers were sold out for fall beef and pork. Egg sales were also plentiful. Central Washington reported weather that was cloudy and cool with scattered showers early in the week. On the plus side, the nice weather last week extended the asparagus harvest. Another crop observed in the farmer’s markets were green onions. Some corn fields with plants reached calf height, while field corn started to emerge in most fields. Growers harvested first cutting of alfalfa hay. Pear and apple crops looked good with fruitlets reaching quarter-diameter size. Field crews thinned off the apple crop to promote fruit size. Post bloom frosts reduced the cherry crop for the earlier harvest in Yakima County. Cherry growers initiated bird-scaring tactics like reflective tape. Yakima County still looked to have a modest to good crop of good-sized cherries. In northeast Washington, a second wet week of rain and windy days were reported. Precipitation also greatly increased topsoil moisture conditions and improved winter and spring cereal crop conditions in eastcentral Washington. In southeast Washington, first cuttings of alfalfa and other hay took place in the southern part of Walla Walla County. Rain helped get the soil moisture content up over the past week across most all of southeast Washington. With heavy rains last week, some dry peas that were in bloom got blooms knocked off or flattened.

Washington crop conditions:

Winter wheat: 0% very poor 1% poor 12% fair 76% good 11% excellent Spring wheat: 0% very poor 6% poor 15% fair 74% good 5% excellent Barley: 0% very poor 6% poor 6% fair 86% good 2% excellent Oats: 0% very poor 0% poor 23% fair 72% good 5% excellent Dried edible peas: 0% very poor 0% poor 8% fair 87% good 5% excellent

Washington crop progress:

Spring wheat emerged: 87% this week 82% last week 75% last year 86% 5-year average Winter wheat headed: 28% this week 20% last week 19% last year 38% 5-year average Barley emerged: 82% this week 71% last week 60% last year 78% 5-year average Oats planted: 95% this week 85% last week 69% last year 78% 5-year average Oats emerged: 55% this week 50% last week 38% last year 49% 5-year average Dry peas emerged: 95% this week 88% last week 59% last year NA 5-year average Alfalfa hay 1st cutting: 44% this week 29% last week 32% last year 40% 5-year average