While this month's deluge of rain may present a different set of problems the rain received in December was already beneficial for crops up and down the State of California. This may also translate to an abundance of new "Covid Lockdown" home gardeners being persuaded to pursue their new hobby and outdoor exercise! The next report due January 31st will access the affect excess rain had on crops or if the coming months will continue with rain and its prospect for further enhancing a dry state or causing a new set of issues.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes a monthly statistical report, near the first Tuesday of the month, outlining the weather and progress of crops for 44 states and New England area as an assessment of winter weather on:
- Crops
- Livestock
- Fruit trees
- Consideration for moisture
- Snow cover
- Temperatures
- Crop condition
- AND the effect of weather, insects, diseases, etc., on crops and livestock.
CALIFORNIA: For the week ending January 1, 2023
- Days suitable for fieldwork 3.4
- Topsoil moisture
- 5% short
- 40% adequate
- 55% surplus.
- Subsoil moisture
- 10% short
- 45% adequate
- 45% surplus.
- Winter wheat condition
- 5% fair
- 85% good
- 10% excellent.
- Snowpack content
- 13 and 16 inches in the Northern, Southern and Central Sierras.
Field work was limited due to abundant precipitation and muddy fields.
- Precipitation and cool temperatures have been beneficial for dryland wheat and oats.
- Wheat, oats, and barley were planted.
- Irrigated pastures have benefitted from the recent rains and were growing well.
- Most cotton gins had completed their season.
- Strawberry fields were prepared for next year’s crop.
- Blueberries were planted.
- Fields were prepped and planted with winter vegetables.
- Persimmons were harvested.
- Pecans were harvested in Tulare County.
- Navel orange, mandarin, grapefruit, lime, and lemon harvests continued but were slowed at the end of December due to heavy rain.
- In the Central Valley, walnuts and almonds were sprayed for weeds
Publication | Crop Progress - State Stories | ID: fq977t77k | USDA Economics, Statistics and Market Information System (cornell.edu)
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