The second week in August proved to be mostly dry and a bit cooler than normal as farmers proceeded with hay cutting and some tobacco harvesting.

The wet summer has taken its toll on some crops, with tobacco taking the hardest hit. According to information from the NASS Kentucky field office, tobacco continues to decline, although the recent dry spell has helped. Crop conditions were reported to be 8 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 27 percent fair, 49 percent good and 7 percent excellent.  Last year at this time, tobacco was rated as 69 percent good to excellent.

Experts warn this tobacco will be a lighter-weight crop, which is indicative of a wet growing season. Fourteen percent of the state’s tobacco has been cut, which is in line with the five-year average.

Corn producers are faring much better condition-wise, as 3 percent of the crop has reached the mature stage. As of the Aug. 17 NASS report, corn conditions were rated as 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 14 percent fair, 50 percent good and 31 percent excellent.

Soybeans are also good at this point in the season, although there are producers who have just been able to replant some portions of their crop flooded earlier in the season. Soybean conditions were listed as being 2 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 57 percent good and 18 percent excellent.

While the wetter-than-normal growing season has presented challenges for most crops, pasture conditions have benefited from the rains. Conditions were reported to be 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 17 percent fair, 62 percent good and 16 percent excellent.