ARIZONA CROP PROGRESS
United States Department of Agriculture
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
ARIZONA FIELD OFFICE
P.O. BOX 150969 · Lakewood, CO 80215-0969
Cooperating with the Arizona Department of Agriculture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 28, 2024
				      Contact:  Dave DeWalt
(800) 392-3202

CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION
WEEK ENDING MAY 26, 2024

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:  Cotton squaring advanced slowly, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Arizona cotton was rated in mostly excellent condition, with 37 percent of the crop rated good. A Graham County reporter stated that the Pueblo Valley had experienced extreme winds on Monday, May 20 which in turn, produced a dust storm that sand-blasted fields containing new growth. Seventy-one percent of the State’s barley had been harvested, up 28 percentage points, from the previous year’s levels. Forty-eight percent of Arizona’s Durum wheat had been harvested, up 22 percentage points, from the previous year’s levels. Alfalfa hay harvest continued to take place on more than 75 percent of the crop’s acreage throughout the State. Arizona’s alfalfa crop was rated in mostly excellent condition, with 37 percent of the crop rated good. Pasture and range conditions throughout the State deteriorated when compared to that of the previous report. Ten percent of the State’s pasture and rangeland was rated very poor, 17 percent was rated poor, 39 percent was rated fair, 31 percent was rated good, and 3 percent was rated excellent. Reports from Apache and Navajo Counties stated that no significant changes were observed in grazing lands over the past week. As of May 26, the National Drought Mitigation Center’s Vegetation Drought Response Index (VegDRI) showed that the vegetation condition of rangelands throughout southwestern counties were rated from near normal to extremely moist, while vegetation conditions in northern counties continued to be rated from pre-drought stress to extreme drought. Vegetation conditions throughout southeastern rangelands improved and were rated from unusually moist to severe drought. Topsoil moisture levels remained mostly adequate, with 8 percent rated very short, 13 percent rated short, 77 percent rated adequate, and 2 percent rated surplus. Subsoil moisture levels followed a similar trend. 
	Over the past week, measurable precipitation was lacking across much of the State; however, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), isolated areas along the northern Mogollon Rim, as well as the Santa Cruz Valley, accumulated anywhere from 0.25 to 0.50 inch. The drought information statement for southeast Arizona was rescinded as the area has received, on average, 1.00 inch of above normal precipitation over the last 90 days.  The seasonal mean temperature outlook continues to show that temperatures will likely be above normal for the entirety of the State with northern and eastern regions having a higher probability of experiencing hotter temperatures than southern and western areas. Similarly, the seasonal total precipitation outlook continues to show equal odds for either above, near, or below normal seasonal total precipitation for southern and western areas while northern and eastern regions continue to lean below normal. Arizona’s seasonal drought outlook continues to show that conditions are expected to persist throughout all areas of the State that were affected by moderate drought (D1) or higher on April 30. Additionally, drought is expected to develop throughout northern areas of the State. Streamflow conditions in the San Pedro, in addition to portions of the Verde, Upper, and Lower Colorado River Basins, continues to be well below normal. Arizona’s remaining river basin’s streamflow conditions continue to be rated from much above normal to normal. As of May 21, the U.S. Drought Monitor showed a slight improvement in conditions when compared to that of the previous report. Abnormally dry conditions (D0) spanned 51 percent of the State, moderate drought (D1) enveloped 17 percent, and severe drought (D2) encompassed 3 percent of the State’s total land area. Arizona once again remained free of extreme (D3) and exceptional (D4) drought. Over the past week, temperatures across much of the State were below normal according to the High Plains Regional Climate Center (HPRCC). Daytime highs throughout Arizona ranged from 6 degrees below to 2 degrees above normal and ranged from the low sixties in southern Apache County to over 100 degrees across southwestern regions of the State. Overnight lows ranged from 10 degrees below to 6 degrees above normal and ranged from 30 to 55 degrees across northern and eastern counties, whereas southwestern counties experienced lows of 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

CROP PROGRESS
Commodity | Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average
| (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent)
Barley | | | |
Harvested | 71 | 70 | 43 | 41
Cotton | | | |
Squaring……………………………………… | 7 | 7 | 8 | 12
Durum wheat | | | |
Harvested | 48 | 46 | 26 | 19
NA – not available
(--) – zero

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION
| Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average
Days suitable for fieldwork | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0
Topsoil moisture | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent)
Very short | 8 | 11 | -- | 11
Short | 13 | 13 | 13 | 10
Adequate | 77 | 68 | 87 | 76
Surplus | 2 | 8 | -- | 3
Subsoil moisture | | | |
Very short | 8 | 10 | -- | 12
Short | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10
Adequate | 78 | 69 | 88 | 75
Surplus | 2 | 8 | -- | 3
NA – not available
(--) – zero

CROP, PASTURE, AND RANGE CONDITION
Commodity | Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average
| (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent)
Alfalfa hay | | | |
Very poor | -- | -- | -- | --
Poor | -- | -- | -- | --
Fair | -- | 7 | -- | 9
Good | 37 | 32 | 47 | 44
Excellent | 63 | 61 | 53 | 47
Cotton | | | |
Very poor | -- | -- | -- | --
Poor | -- | -- | -- | --
Fair | -- | 3 | 3 | 10
Good | 37 | 28 | 41 | 65
Excellent | 63 | 69 | 56 | 25
Pasture and range | | | |
Very poor | 10 | -- | 1 | 23
Poor | 17 | 5 | 14 | 19
Fair | 39 | 23 | 34 | 26
Good | 31 | 40 | 30 | 27
Excellent | 3 | 32 | 21 | 5
NA – not available
(--) – zero