ARIZONA AGRI-WEEKLY
Issue AZ-CW1249 – For the week ending December 2, 2012 - Released December 3, 2012
st

230 North 1 Avenue · Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706
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Field Crops

Arizona Vegetables, Fruit & Specialty Crops

Almost three-quarters of the cotton harvest was
complete last week, 4 percentage points ahead of last
year but equal to the 5-year average. Nearly the entire
cotton crop continues to be rated in fair to excellent
condition. Alfalfa conditions remained mostly fair to
excellent. Harvesting occurred on just over threequarters of the alfalfa acreage across the State. Sheep
have been placed on various alfalfa fields across the
State.

Central Arizona growers shipped broccoli, cabbage,
cantaloupes, cilantro, honeydews, miscellaneous herbs,
and parsley last week.
Last week western Arizona growers shipped arugula,
broccoli, Bok Choy, cauliflower, cantaloupes, Chinese
cabbage, endive, escarole, honeydews, kale, spinach
and miscellaneous herbs and various lettuces including
Boston, iceberg, red leaf, green leaf, and Romaine.
Also shipped were lemons.
Range and Pasture
Warm and dry weather continued to diminish soil
moisture and rangeland conditions last week. Forage
has been described tinder dry. Rangeland conditions
vary from very poor to good, depending on location.

Crop Condition

Alfalfa
Range and Pasture
Cotton

Very Poor

Poor

0
38
0

4
19
2

Fair
- Percent 24
27
23

Good

Excellent

47
14
59

25
2
16

Crop Progress
This Week

Last Week
- Percent -

Last Year

5 – Year Avg.

69

73

Cotton
Harvested

73

65

Weather Summary
Temperatures were well above normal across the State
for the week ending December 2, ranging from 6
degrees above normal at Buckeye, Parker and Payson
to 12 degrees above normal at Prescott and Winslow.
The highest temperature of the week was 85 degrees at

Coolidge. The lowest reading was 15 degrees at the
Grand Canyon. No precipitation was recorded last
week. All weather stations are below normal for the
year. Thirteen of the 21 weather stations have received
less than 75 percent of normal precipitation.

Major Contributors: The University of Arizona, Cooperative Extension Service; U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service; U. S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Services Agency, Natural Resource
Conservation Service, and Rural Economic and Community Development Services; Arizona Citrus, Fruit and Vegetable Standardization.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

United States Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Arizona Field Office
230 N. 1st Ave, Suite 303
Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706
----------------------------Official Business
Penalty For Private Use $300
www.nass.usda.gov/az
Address Service Requested

Station
Aguila
Buckeye
Canyon De Chelly
Coolidge
Douglas
Flagstaff
Grand Canyon
Kingman
Maricopa
Paloma
Parker
Payson
Phoenix
Prescott
Roll
Safford
St. Johns
Tucson
Willcox
Winslow
Yuma

Avg.
58
60
42
58
55
41
39
56
60
62
59
47
67
51
61
54
45
64
54
49
68

Temperature and Precipitation Data
November 26, 2012 - December 2, 2012
Temperature
Precipitation
Past
Jan. 1
Departure
Dep. 1/ High
Low
Week
to Date From Normal
8
79
39
0.00
3.83
-4.68
6
79
42
0.00
3.24
-3.51
7
61
17
0.00
3.95
-5.04
7
85
36
0.00
5.47
-1.09
8
78
31
0.00
7.32
-5.14
10
59
21
0.00
12.79
-7.83
10
61
15
0.00
8.22
-10.25
10
74
36
0.00
7.19
-1.75
8
81
40
0.00
5.42
-0.77
9
84
42
0.00
4.83
-0.41
6
81
36
0.00
2.42
-0.78
6
66
27
0.00
11.10
-8.93
11
84
54
0.00
3.41
-3.34
12
68
34
0.00
9.03
-9.15
7
82
40
0.00
2.34
-0.40
8
76
31
0.00
8.17
-0.64
8
67
22
0.00
6.73
-3.96
10
82
47
0.00
6.73
-4.29
9
77
30
0.00
8.56
-3.16
12
71
22
0.00
5.11
-2.33
10
82
54
0.00
2.41
-0.33

Percent
of Normal
45
48
44
83
59
62
45
80
88
92
76
55
51
50
85
93
63
61
73
69
88

1/ Departure of temperature for reporting period from average temperature for that w eek.

Director:
Steve Manheimer
Deputy Director:
David DeWalt

Agricultural Statisticians
Maria Bautista
Clare Jervis
Chris Singh
Sean De Roon