MT AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY

Extremely dry weather persisted across much of the State last week, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. High temperatures ranged from 82 to 100 degrees. Low temperatures ranged from 28 degrees to the low 50s. The highest amount of precipitation was recorded in Biddle with only 0.36 inches of moisture. Other stations recorded between zero and 0.28 of an inch of moisture, with 41 stations recording no precipitation and 59 stations receiving between 0.01 and 0.25 of an inch. Crop conditions continued to deteriorate due to lack of moisture. Soil moisture conditions were recorded with 97 percent of topsoil rated very short to short and 89 percent of subsoil rated very short to short, compared with 43 percent of topsoil last year rated very short to short and 46 percent of subsoil last year rated very short to short. Reporters noted pasture fires due to dry conditions, which combined with wildfires, contributed to poor air quality. Low yields were reported on winter wheat, but with good protein levels.