FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS

Week ending August 24, 1997
                             Released 4:00 P.M.
                                                            August 25, 1997

WEATHER SUMMARY: Somewhat drier weather allowed most field work to get back
on schedule during the week of August 17 through 23. Scattered showers
dropped from a quarter inch to an inch and a quarter of rain at the
official stations. Low temperatures were mostly in the mid 70s to low 80s
with Jacksonville and Valparaiso recording at least one low in the upper
60s. High temperatures continued in the 90s. The weekly average
temperatures were one degree above normal except for three degrees above at
Miami.

FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate in the Panhandle and short
to adequate in the northern Peninsula. In the central and southern
Peninsula the top soil moisture is short to surplus. Peanut condition: poor
1%, fair 17%, good 40%, excellent 42%. Four percent of the peanut acreage
for nuts has been harvested. Peanut diseases are on the increase due to the
wet weather. Sugarcane growth is normal. Tobacco marketing is active.
Haying and corn harvest are active when rain permits. Forage is making good
growth. Cotton and soybeans are making very good growth. Some worm pressure
is developing in hay fields in some areas. Weeds are a problem due to wet
soils keeping equipment out of the fields.

    Moisture               Topsoil                      Subsoil
     Rating       Last week      This week     Last week      This week

                                         Percent
 Very short                 0             0              0              0
 Short                      3            16              6              8
 Adequate                  60            57             52             58
 Surplus                   37            27             42             34

LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Most of the pastures in the State were reported to
be in fair to good condition. Rainfall has been frequent though spotty.
Standing water was no longer a problem in Southwest pastures. Most of the
cattle in the State were in good condition. Mosquitos were numerous and
were bad on the cows in the northeastern area.

                           Range                        Cattle
   Condition
                 Last week      This week     Last week       This week
                                         Percent
 Very poor                 0              0             0               0
 Poor                      0              0             0               0
 Fair                     15             30            15               5
 Good                     65             60            70              85
 Excellent                20             10            15              10

CITRUS: This State's citrus groves, trees, and new crop fruit are all in
very good condition. Moisture is generally adequate with both east and west
coast growers reporting above average rainfall for the month. There
continues to be an abundance of new growth on trees of all ages in all
areas. There is some premature splitting and dropping of early fruit in the
wetter, more poorly drained areas. Several fresh fruit packing houses have
representatives testing grapefruit for early harvesting. There are a few
early bloom Navels, Ambersweet, Fallglo, and K-Earlys also being tested.

    Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have made good growth during
the heavy summer rains. Limited fertilizations and summer sprays are being
applied between rains and thunderstorms. Dead tree removal continues in all
areas.

VEGETABLES: Palmetto-Ruskin: Tomato condition is good with planting
increasing seasonally. Workers are staking and making first ties in tomato
fields with a few fields being irrigated. Squash and onion planting is
underway with crop condition rated good. Planting continues to increase for
cucumbers, peppers, watermelon, cantaloupes, cherry and plum tomatoes.
Pumpkin planting is finished with the crop in good condition. Snap bean and
cabbage planting are expected to begin in early September.

East Coast: Eggplant, pepper, cherry and plum tomato planting are active.
Hot temperatures are causing stress to plants. Growers are preparing land
for sweet corn and snap bean planting.

Southwest: Tomatoes are in fair to good condition with planting expected to
increase over the next two to four weeks. Workers continue to lay plastic
for transplanting tomatoes with a small acreage being irrigated. Producers
are starting to plant eggplant, peppers, cherry and plum tomatoes with
condition of all rated fair to good.

Dade: Growers are cleaning land in preparation of making beds and laying
plastic for tomato transplanting which is expected to start in late
September. Producers continue to harvest okra with good quality and yield
being realized. The harvest of okra is expected to continue through late
October. Planting of squash and snap beans will start in early September;
cucumbers and eggplant in early October; potatoes, cabbage and strawberries
in late October; and sweet corn in early November.

Quincy: Tomato condition is rated good. Picking is expected to begin in
late September or early October.