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Strong start to planting for Arkansas farmer

Planting in Arkansas remains in full swing.  Forty-three percent of the corn crop is planted, and 21 percent is emerged.  Twenty-six percent of rice has been planted with 3 percent emerged and 12 percent of soybeans have been planted with 2 percent emerged.  One percent of peanuts have been planted. 

Northeast Arkansas farmer Derek Haigwood says this is the most they’ve ever had planted at this point in the growing season.  “I have soybeans up, I have corn up, and I have rice up,” he says.  “We started planting March 9^th.  It was the first dry day we had, and we’ve just been, you know, sittin’ on G and waitin’ on O and as soon as it’s time to go, we go.”

He tells Brownfield says they have about 25 percent of their crops in the ground and the cold temps in the forecast this week are a little concerning.  “We’re hoping for little to no damage,” he says.  “We’re going to have a little bit of wind and that’s definitely on the forefront of our minds.”

The winter wheat crop is rated 55 percent good to excellent with 28 percent of the crop headed.  Alfalfa hay is rated 20 percent good and two percent of the first hay cutting is complete.  Thirty-eight percent of pastures are rated good to excellent.

Topsoil moisture is rated 95 percent adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture is rated 93 percent adequate to surplus.

AUDIO: Derek Haigwood, Newport, Arkansas