ARIZONA AGRI-WEEKLY
Issue AZ-CW1250 – For the week ending December 9, 2012 - Released December 10, 2012
st

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Field Crops

Arizona Vegetables, Fruit & Specialty Crops

Eighty percent of the cotton harvest was complete by
the end of last week, 6 percentage points ahead of last
year but equal to the 5-year average. Alfalfa conditions
remained mostly fair to excellent. Harvesting occurred
on nearly three-quarters of the alfalfa acreage across
the State. Sheep have been placed on various alfalfa
fields in many areas. Durum wheat and barley planting
is well underway.

Central Arizona growers shipped broccoli, cabbage,
cantaloupes, cilantro, honeydews, kale, miscellaneous
herbs, and parsley last week.
Last week western Arizona growers shipped arugula,
broccoli, Bok Choy, cauliflower, cantaloupes, Chinese
cabbage, celery, cilantro, endive, escarole, frisee,
honeydews, kale, parsley, 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 dry out pastures
and stock tanks. Forage has been described as tinder
dry. Rangeland conditions vary from very poor to
good, depending on location.

Crop Condition

Alfalfa
Range and Pasture

Very Poor

Poor

0
39

7
20

Fair
- Percent 25
26

Good

Excellent

45
13

23
2

Crop Progress
This Week

Last Week
- Percent -

Last Year

5 – Year Avg.

74

80

Cotton
Harvested

80

73

Weather Summary
Temperatures were well above normal across the State
for the week ending December 9, ranging from 6
degrees above normal at Coolidge to 13 degrees above
normal at Winslow. The highest temperature of the
week was 83 degrees at Yuma. The lowest reading

was 9 degrees at the Grand Canyon. No precipitation
was recorded last week. All weather stations are below
normal for the year. Fourteen 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.
56
59
43
56
54
41
38
54
58
59
59
46
65
49
60
53
45
62
52
47
68

Temperature and Precipitation Data
December 3, 2012 - December 9, 2012
Temperature
Precipitation
Past
Jan. 1
Departure
Dep. 1/ High
Low
Week
to Date From Normal
8
78
32
0.00
3.83
-4.82
7
80
34
0.00
3.24
-3.72
10
64
24
0.00
3.95
-5.25
6
82
29
0.00
5.47
-1.26
9
78
33
0.00
7.32
-5.35
11
62
21
0.00
12.79
-8.39
10
61
9
0.00
8.22
-10.67
10
73
33
0.00
7.19
-1.96
8
80
35
0.00
5.42
-0.91
7
80
33
0.00
4.83
-0.55
7
80
32
0.00
2.42
-0.85
7
70
25
0.00
11.10
-9.42
11
82
49
0.00
3.41
-3.55
12
70
30
0.00
9.03
-9.55
8
80
33
0.00
2.34
-0.47
8
74
29
0.00
8.17
-0.85
10
70
25
0.00
6.73
-4.10
10
81
45
0.00
6.73
-4.50
8
75
28
0.00
8.56
-3.44
13
72
25
0.00
5.11
-2.47
11
83
49
0.00
2.41
-0.40

Percent
of Normal
44
47
43
81
58
60
44
79
86
90
74
54
49
49
83
91
62
60
71
67
86

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