Field preparations continue

Precipitation fell across much of the state for the week ending Aug. 18, with higher totals mostly concentrated in the northern part of the state, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Southern Plains Regional Field Office, Texas. Areas of the High Plains, Cross Timbers, and the Blacklands observed rainfall between 1.0 to 3.0 inches, with isolated areas receiving upwards of 5.0 inches. Along the Edwards Plateau and South Central Texas precipitation ranged between 0.5 to upwards of 2.0 inches, while the rest of the state received from trace amounts up to 1.0 inch of rain. Statewide the average high temperature for the week was 98.1 degrees and the average low was 69.8 degrees.

Field preparations continued for the 2019 wheat and oat crops. Some producers in areas of the Northern High Plains and Edwards Plateau have begun seeding winter wheat.

Row crops benefitted from precipitation last week, however dryland crops in some areas continued to suffer from the drought. Cotton and corn harvest continued in areas of the Upper Coast, the Lower Valley, and South Texas. In areas of the Blacklands corn harvest neared completion. Bollworm activity was reported in cotton fields in areas of the Southern High Plains. Rice and soybean harvest pressed on in North East Texas.

Pecans continued to develop in areas of the Trans-Pecos and South Texas.