Oklahoma City, OK - Very little rain fell in Oklahoma over the last week, with the highest total only 0.61 of an inch in Goodwell according to the Oklahoma Crop Weather Report issued today by the USDA-NASS Oklahoma Field Office. Almost all of the state was considered abnormally dry according to the June 26th Drought Monitor and 48 percent was in a moderate to extreme drought. Precipitation for the period since March 1 was below normal for all districts, and only two-thirds of normal rainfall in the West Central district. Average high temperatures ranged from 98 to 105 degrees across the state’s nine climate districts, and a high of 112 degrees was recorded in Buffalo and Freedom this past week. Both the lack of precipitation and the excessive heat continued to affect crops and pastures in the state. Condition ratings fell for all row crops except for peanuts. Hay and pasture conditions also worsened. Producers are already facing decisions about cutting corn and sorghum for hay or silage, and livestock producers are concerned about pasture conditions and stock pond levels. Topsoil moisture conditions were rated mostly short, with 25 percent rated very short. Subsoil moisture conditions were rated short to very short, with 24 percent rated adequate. There were 6.8 days suitable for field work. Small Grains: Plowing of wheat ground was 67 percent complete, 33 points ahead of normal and rye plowing was 57 percent complete. The oat harvest was virtually complete, and plowing of oat ground was 53 percent complete by week’s end. Row Crops: Conditions declined under the heat and lack of moisture. Corn and peanuts were rated mostly good while sorghum, soybeans and cotton slipped to mostly good to fair. Sixty percent of corn was silking by Sunday, 13 points ahead of the five-year average, and 17 percent had reached the dough stage. Sorghum planting was 97 percent complete, and 86 percent had emerged by the end of the week, 20 points ahead of normal. Sorghum began heading and was 12 percent complete by Sunday. Soybean planting was virtually complete, and 93 percent had emerged by Sunday, 22 points ahead of normal. Eight percent of soybeans were blooming by the end of the week. Twenty-two percent of the peanut crop was pegging by Sunday, 15 points behind the five-year average. Almost all cotton was emerged by the end of the week, and 23 percent of the cotton crop was squaring by Sunday. Eighty one percent of the watermelon crop was setting fruit by the end of week, ten points ahead of normal. Hay: The 100 degree temperatures are taking their toll on hay production: hay condition ratings continued to decline, rated mostly good to fair. A second cutting of alfalfa was 93 percent complete by the end of the week, and a third cutting was 34 percent complete, still ahead of the five-year average. A first cutting of other hay was 88 percent complete, and a second cutting was 15 percent complete by Sunday. Pasture and Livestock: Pasture and range conditions were rated mostly good to fair, with 22 percent rated poor to very poor. The extreme heat damaged pastures and the lack of run-off has lowered pond levels. Livestock conditions continued to be rated mostly good. Prices for feeder steers less than 800 pounds averaged $153 per cwt. Prices for heifers less than 800 pounds averaged $140 per cwt. The entire Oklahoma report can be view online at: www.nass.usda.gov/ok under “Recent Reports.” The national database, Quick Stats, and all USDA-NASS reports are available on the agency’s web site: www.nass.usda.gov. For more information on NASS surveys and reports, call the USDA-NASS Oklahoma Field Office at 800-525-9226. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service provides accurate, timely, useful and objective statistics in service to U.S. agriculture. The agency invites you to express your thoughts and provide occasional feedback on our products and services by joining a data user community. To join, sign in at http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/subscriptions and look for “NASS Data User Community.”