ARIZONA AGRI-WEEKLY
Issue AZ-CW1251 – For the week ending December 16, 2012 - Released December 17, 2012
st

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

Arizona Vegetables, Fruit & Specialty Crops

Eighty-five percent of the cotton harvest was complete
by the end of last week, 3 percentage points ahead of
last year, but 2 percentage points ahead of the 5-year
average. Alfalfa conditions remained mostly fair to
excellent. Harvesting occurred on about half of the
alfalfa acreage across the State. Sheep have been
placed on various alfalfa fields in many areas. Durum
wheat planting is just over a fourth complete. Barley
planting is approaching the half way complete mark.

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
The State has received much
Conditions are exceptionally dry
tanks and no moisture in the
conditions vary from very poor to
location.

needed moisture.
with empty stock
soil.
Rangeland
fair, depending on

Crop Condition

Alfalfa
Range and Pasture

Very Poor

Poor

0
46

3
18

Fair
- Percent 27
23

Good

Excellent

47
11

23
2

Crop Progress
This Week

Last Week
- Percent -

Last Year

5 – Year Avg.

82

87

Cotton
Harvested

85

80

Weather Summary
Temperatures were mostly above normal across the
State for the week ending December 16, ranging from
2 degrees below normal at Buckeye and Payson to 5
degrees above normal at Phoenix, Winslow, and
Yuma. The highest temperature of the week was 77
degrees at Yuma. The lowest reading was 0 degrees at
.

the Grand Canyon. All 21 weather stations recorded
precipitation last week. Grand Canyon received the
least at 0.15 inches and Payson received the most at
3.17 inches. 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.
47
50
32
49
47
29
28
45
52
51
52
37
58
39
52
47
35
53
42
37
60

Temperature and Precipitation Data
December 10, 2012 - December 16, 2012
Temperature
Precipitation
Past
Jan. 1
Departure
Dep. 1/ High
Low
Week
to Date From Normal
-1
66
32
0.77
4.60
-4.19
-2
67
33
0.52
3.76
-3.46
0
51
7
0.16
4.11
-5.25
-1
74
23
0.70
6.17
-0.77
3
68
23
0.31
7.63
-5.29
0
50
11
1.44
14.23
-7.51
1
48
0
0.15
8.37
-10.94
3
61
25
0.42
7.61
-1.75
3
72
29
0.55
5.97
-0.50
-1
74
31
0.40
5.23
-0.29
1
71
30
1.00
3.42
0.08
-2
56
18
3.17
14.27
-6.79
5
72
43
0.78
4.19
-3.03
3
56
20
0.69
9.72
-9.21
2
71
30
0.21
2.55
-0.37
3
71
21
0.54
8.71
-0.53
2
61
8
0.32
7.05
-3.98
2
73
33
0.64
7.37
-4.12
-1
67
17
0.56
9.12
-3.18
5
60
13
0.40
5.51
-2.25
5
77
46
0.58
2.99
0.07

Percent
of Normal
52
52
44
89
59
65
43
81
92
95
102
68
58
51
87
94
64
64
74
71
102

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