OLYMPIA, Wash. — There were 7.0 days suitable for fieldwork in Oregon last week, unchanged from the previous week, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Northwest Regional Field Office in the Aug. 31 Crop Progress and Condition report.
In northwest Oregon, horticultural crops looked good. Livestock conditions were generally good. Irrigated grass fields continued to produce cuttings for silage. Grain crops were mostly harvested. In Polk County’s small vegetable farms, peak production under high tunnels was reached for tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. Winter squash was beginning to cure in the field. There was low flea beetle pressure in fall brassica crops. Bird pressure on fall lettuce and greens required replanting.
In north central Oregon, it was extremely dry. Producers worked on spraying weeds and prepping fields for seeding.
In southwest Oregon, the hot dry summer continued with temperatures a little cooler last week, topping out around 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The hot spell and heavy irrigation knocked river levels down and allowed only the longest water rights holders to continue irrigating. All remaining vineyard, orchard, and vegetable crop water rights holders were watering hard in advance of the extreme heat expected Tuesday of the coming week. Bartlett pear harvest began. Most mid to late season peach varieties were picked.
Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) continued to be problematic for those producers who did not start controlling their problems at first color on raspberry and blueberry crops. The heat of late summer knocked the SWD population back pretty hard. The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug pressure was slow to develop this year.
In Malheur County, bean and onion harvests were underway. In Lake County, grain harvest started. Fall calving also began. In Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties, lots of hay was cut down last week. There were a few minor showers. Arnold and Lone Pine Irrigation Districts were shut down in Deschutes and Crook Counties. Other irrigation districts were shut down, but may try to restart in three weeks.
— USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
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