News

Soil moisture improves in Arkansas

Soil moisture levels improved last week in Arkansas thanks to rainfall.

The USDA says nearly 70% of the state has adequate to surplus topsoil moisture and more than 50% of subsoil has adequate to surplus moisture levels.

That rain didn’t cause much of a delay in fieldwork, with an average of almost 5 days available for farmers.

94% of soybeans are harvested, compared to 84% on average, with the cotton harvest at 97%, compared to 88% on average, and 99% of the rice crop harvested, compared to the usual pace of 98%.

90% of the peanut crop is harvested, compared to 69% on average.

67% of winter wheat is planted, compared to 71% normally in early November with farmers focused on harvest, and 43% has emerged, compared to 54% on average.

79% of Arkansas’ livestock is rated fair to good, but 68% of pastures and rangelands are called poor to very poor.