Crop progress report 08/16: Another good week for grain harvest reported in Washington

From NASS There were 6.9 days suitable for fieldwork in Washington last week, up from 6.8 reported the previous week. A cooler weather pattern gave way to much warmer temperatures late in the week. Several state records for high temperature were set on Sunday in the western portions of the state. The swing back to hot and dry weather had crop producers irrigating most crops that required moisture. More hay came off the fields. Almost everyone had irrigation guns going on corn. Snohomish Valley started harvesting grain. Some crops continued to display the effects of the excess moisture in May and June. Well-drained soils appeared to do much better. Upper elevation pastures continued to dry out in Okanogan County. Springs ran low, and ponds dried up. High temperatures together with dry scrublands led to a couple brushfires in Yakima County, jeopardizing air quality in the city of Yakima. Peaches, nectarines and plums were harvested. Vegetable stands were at full capacity with locally grown melons, tomatoes, peppers, sweet corn, cucumbers and summer squashes. Growers prepared to harvest Bartlett pear orchards. Field crews harvested Gala apples. In east central Washington, warm temperatures prevailed throughout the week, escalating at the end of it. Sweet corn was harvested all week. Weather was good for hay and forage crops. Yields on early winter and early spring planted crops looked good. Corn looked average and beans slightly below average. In southeast Washington, wheat yields appeared to be average to above average in the dryland areas.

Washington crop conditions:

Spring wheat: 0% very poor 7% poor 9% fair 56% good 28% excellent Barley: 0% very poor 7% poor 6% fair 65% good 22% excellent Oats: 0% very poor 3% poor 4% fair 75% good 18% excellent

Washington crop progress:

Spring wheat harvested: 36% this week 17% last week 23% last year 51% 5-year average Winter wheat harvested: 73% this week 55% last week 65% last year 80% 5-year average Barley harvested: 46% this week 24% last week 25% last year 53% 5-year average Oats harvested: 41% this week 16% last week 1625 last year 46% 5-year average Dry edible peas harvested 61% this week 40% last week 72% last year 76% 5-year average Alfalfa hay 3rd cutting: 48% this week 35% last week 79% last year 68% 5-year average