Feature Story

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

STARKVILLE -- With harvest in full swing, Mississippi's peanut crop is faring well despite this year's dry growing season. Although growers will not enjoy 1994's high peanut yields and quality, both disease and insect pressure have been light this year.

"This has been an off year for a lot of crops, but peanut yields are fairly good," said Dr. Alan Blaine, extension agronomist at Mississippi State University. "This is particularly true in the north Delta, considering how long it has been dry."

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

STARKVILLE -- Growers are hoping for more rainfall to aid harvest of Mississippi's 6,000 acres of sweetpotatoes.

Acreage is up about 20 percent for 1995, due to good prices and expanding markets for Mississippi's sweetpotatoes.

"Our sweetpotatoes are high quality, and are competing well in the marketplace," said Benny Graves, plant pathologist with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry in Starkville.

STARKVILLE -- Cotton yields will not be what many growers dreamed of when they increased Mississippi's crop by 100,000 acres to take advantage of stronger prices. Higher than normal insect pressure and excessive heat have taken their toll.

"Preliminary yields do not look good," said Dr. Will McCarty, extension cotton specialist at Mississippi State University.

The Sept. 1 crop report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture brought bleak news on the expectations for Mississippi's crop.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Hot, dry conditions that have burned up yards and pastures cannot do much more damage to Mississippi's row crops. Any rains arriving at this point will have little impact on the crops' development and may hurt harvest quality.

Dr. Erick Larson, extension agronomist at Mississippi State University, said corn may be the one bright spot for this year's dim harvest outlook. Recent weather conditions have helped the corn dry appropriately for harvest.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

VERONA -- Scorching temperatures that have reduced hay yields and quality in some areas of the state are providing good conditions for harvest.

"Our growers are busy making hay while the sun shines," said Charles Fitts, Chickasaw County agent. "The dry weather is providing an optimum time for hay harvesting and curing."

Recent reports estimate Mississippi's 1995 hay production to total 1.65 million tons, down 12 percent from last year.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

STONEVILLE -- As Mississippi's rice growers begin harvest, few expect to reap last year's record breaking yields. This summer's sizzling temperatures have reduced quality as well as yields in some cases.

"This year's rice yields are certainly nothing to write home about," said Dr. Ted Miller, extension rice specialist in Stoneville. "In the rice that has been harvested, some grains are not as plump as they could be -- one effect of the recent hot temperatures."

Miller said rice growers are averaging about 126 bushels per acre.

STARKVILLE -- High humidity and temperatures near 100 degrees are leaving Mississippi's soybeans in critical need for rain. Each day without a weather break is another day of reduced yield potential.

Dr. Alan Blaine, extension soybean specialist at Mississippi State University, said most of the state's crop is blooming and setting pods -- a stage when moisture is critical.

"We're seeing blooms and fruit shedding from stressed plants," Blaine said. "At this rate, we probably won't reach last year's harvest levels, but the next 30 days will make or break this crop."

STARKVILLE -- Don't let the name fool you, tobacco budworms love cotton. Extremely high numbers have invaded Mississippi's hill section fields at levels that defy control efforts -- seriously lessening yield potential.

Tobacco budworms are the primary pest cotton farmers must control. They feed on cotton squares and bolls (usually less than 20 days old) resulting in those bolls shedding from the plants.

These pests do not damage the leaves, so plants appear healthy at first glance.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Corn yields may not reach the record levels of 1994, but most growers are optimistic despite dry conditions in parts of the state.

Little damage was reported from the initial storms related to Hurricane Erin as its remnants swept into Mississippi.

Dr. Dennis Reginelli, Noxubee County agent, said a wind storm the week before Erin caused some growers to harvest fields a week earlier than they might have otherwise. Most growers in Mississippi will begin harvesting in a couple of weeks.

STARKVILLE -- High temperatures and scattered showers are challenging Mississippi's cotton roots to plunge deeper for the water they need to develop and retain bolls.

"Any major stress on a cotton plant in the first couple weeks of boll set (development) can cause the loss of bolls," said Charlie Estess, Coahoma County extension agent.

"We've seen some boll loss in the recent weeks of drought and heat," Estess said. "Some of the scattered showers have lessened losses."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Wheat prices are reaching the highest levels in 10 years. Unfortunately, a small 1995 harvest means few growers will enjoy the financial fruits of their labor.

DeWitt Caillavet, extension agricultural economist at Mississippi State University, said wheat prices have been in the high $4 range in recent weeks. September futures reached life-of- contract highs on July 17 of more than $4.60 per bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade. At some of the smaller exchanges (Kansas City and Minneapolis), wheat traded over the $5 per bushel level.

By Moira Brodnax

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Improved efficiency, favorable weather and new technology contributed to a record-breaking blueberry harvest for Mississippi producers this year.

Mississippi blueberry producers who are members of the Miss-Lou Blueberry Growers Association harvested 2 million pounds of blueberries during the state's prime harvesting period.

Harvesting of about 1,000 acres began in May and continued until the second week of July, with most varieties finished by July 4.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Usually when a crop is showing as much promise as this year's rice crop, prices trend lower. However, with state and national rice plantings down in 1995, growers are seeing higher prices at the market.

DeWitt Caillavet, extension economist at Mississippi State University, said in addition to fewer acres, the market is benefitting from a weaker world crop and continued strong demand. Several major rice exporting countries will be importing rice this year due to production problems resulting in lower yields.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Watermelon growers are licking their lips over the high prices melons are selling for during the busiest consumer week of the season. Unfortunately, a shortage of seeds for planting reduced acreage and has decreased harvest supplies.

Dr. David Nagel, extension horticulturist at Mississippi State University, said watermelon acreage is down from 9,600 acres in 1994 to about 8,500 this year statewide.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- As estimated national corn acreage and yields continue to drop, Mississippi growers have a chance to lock in a good price for their crop. The deciding factor for 1995 corn yields and prices to growers will be the weather, which caused the current decline in estimated acreage and yields.

Dr. Tom Jones, extension agricultural economist at Mississippi State University, said December corn futures have closed as high as $2.92 per bushel in recent weeks.

VICKSBURG -- Gambling on the river has a different meaning to farmers with thousands of crop acres under water for the fourth time in five years. Spring planters optimistically thought, "What are the odds?" Now they know -- 100 percent.

The Mississippi River peaked in Vicksburg at 47 feet on June 12 -- 4 feet above flood stage -- its highest level in 12 years.

The 1995 flood is topping 1994 levels by 1 foot and almost six weeks later than last year's crest date.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

STARKVILLE -- As Mississippi catfish producers head into their busiest time of the year, processing and prices are up, while fish supplies remain tight.

Both catfish processing and sales have been strong for the first quarter of 1995.

"Catfish processing is up 6.4 percent -- an increase of 9.4 million pounds from the first quarter of 1994," said Bill Allen, president of the Catfish Institute in Belzoni.

Allen said fish supplies have been tight through this spring, which is normal for this time of year.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Depressed cattle prices are having a similar effect on producers. As prices reach their lowest levels since January 1987, most market watchers expect little relief until the national herd size starts decreasing around 1997.

Dr. Charlie Forrest, extension agricultural economist at Mississippi State University, said prices for the best 400 to 500 pound steers averaged in the low $70s per hundredweight during May. May 1995 prices are about 20 percent below year-ago figures.

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- As state cotton growers keep an eye on rising cotton prices and river levels, they are planning strategies to battle insect pest attacks on the crop.

December futures currently are trading in the 82-cent to 83- cent range and have reached life-of-contract highs in the past week.

Dr. Bob Williams, interim state program leader for agriculture and natural resources at Mississippi State University, said several factors have boosted prices.

VERONA, Miss. -- Spring rains have given all Mississippi farmers a challenge to overcome. But untimely rains causing a poor quality crop could mean a loss of profits for growers and costly supplements for livestock owners next winter.

Timing is important in hay production -- from fertilizing before moderate rainfall to cutting when the crop is mature to harvesting before rains reduce nutrients.

Dr. Pat Bagley, head of the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Verona, said rains are making the first cutting of hay a challenge.