Signs of Spring Have Arrived

Drier, warmer weather allowed farmers to begin fieldwork in much of the State, according to Greg Matli, Indiana State Statistician for the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. After a cold and wet start to spring, soil moisture levels fell closer to the five-year averages over the last week. The average temperature for the week was 48.7 degrees Fahrenheit, 1.9 degrees above normal for the State. The amount of rainfall varied from 0.00 inches to 0.86 inches over the week. The statewide average precipitation was 0.24 inches. There were 2.0 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending April 7.

Winter wheat and cover crops continued to break dormancy throughout the State, while some farmers made progress with alfalfa and pasture planting. Mint growers were busy digging and replanting rhizomes. Livestock were reported to be in good condition and benefited from the drier feedlot conditions. Isolated rain events at the end of the week continued reports of flooding and ponding in some fields in the southern part of the State. Other activities for the week included spreading fertilizer and manure, spring tillage, clearing fencerows, repairing and installing tile, and preparing machinery for spring fieldwork.