HDR1012000170100723961200WEEKLY WEATHER AND CROP BULLETIN Released July 23, 1996, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin" call Greg Preston at (202) 720-7621, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET. For assistance with general agricultural statistics, information about NASS, its products or services, contact the NASS Information Hotline at 1-800-727-9540 or E-mail: NASS@NASS.USDA.GOV. NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY July 15 - 21, 1996 HIGHLIGHTS: The Corn Belt received substantial rain before much of the corn crop started the pollination stage of development. The precipitation accelerated crop development, but row-crops in the Corn Belt remain significantly behind normal due to late plantings. The heavy rains caused some localized ponding and flooding in Illinois and Indiana. Thunderstorms deposited ample precipitation over the middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, improving soil moisture ratings, but more precipitation was needed. Producers in North Carolina and Virginia reported that the heavy rains from Hurricane Bertha caused lodging and fungus problems in row-crops. In the Southeast, beneficial rains improved row-crop conditions but dry pockets remained. Damp conditions in Nebraska resulted in excessive weed growth, while farther south, row-crops were stressed by hot weather and dry conditions. Wheat harvested for the 19 major producing States was 74 percent (%) complete, up 10 percentage points from the week earlier and 2 points behind the 5-year average. Wheat harvested in Michigan at 3% complete was 39 points behind the average. Rains in the Central States slowed harvest activity. Warmer weather quickened the maturity of small grains in South Dakota, where producers plan to harvest before grasshoppers can cause further damage. Rains in the Pacific Northwest slowed harvest activity. Spring wheat condition was mostly good to fair with 85% of the acreage headed, up 21 points from the previous week and 4 points below the average. Spring wheat headed in Minnesota at 87% complete was up 19 points from the previous week, but 11 points behind the average. In Idaho, spring wheat condition was mostly good to excellent. Corn was in mostly good to fair condition, with 23% of the acreage in the silking stage or beyond. Corn silking for the 17 major producing States was up 12 points from the previous week, but 19 points behind the average. The percentage of acreage silking was over 30 points behind normal in the central Corn Belt. Silking in Illinois at 22% complete was 43 points behind the average, while Iowa's corn silking was approximately 11 days behind normal. Crop stress from dry conditions in the central Corn Belt was reduced by the weekend storm system. The precipitation arrived just before much of the crop entered the weather-sensitive pollination stage of development. Dry conditions caused corn leaves to curl at midday in Minnesota, where most of the precipitation missed the principal row crop areas. Producers sprayed for corn borer infestations in the Great Lakes, where some fields had weed problems due to the wet conditions that limited cultivation. The average height of corn in Michigan was 40 inches, compared with the 5-year average height of 57 inches. In Missouri, 19% of the crop reached the doughing stage, 1 day ahead of normal. Many fields in central Texas failed due to the extreme heat and dryness. Cotton squaring was 95% complete, up 6 points from a week earlier and 8 points ahead of the average. Cotton condition was mostly good to fair for the 14 major producing States. Cotton setting bolls was 63% complete, up 21 points from the previous week and 13 points ahead of the average. Crop development was ahead of normal by at least 10 points in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas due to hot weather. In Texas, rains across the Plains improved some marginal cotton fields, and early fields in the Coastal Bend were defoliated. Growth regulators was applied in some Arizona cotton fields. Summer heat across the Southern States accelerated cotton development and increased problems with cotton boll worms. Cotton producers in the Delta reported light insect pressure. Growth regulators were applied in California's San Joaquin Valley to force bolls to open. Rice headed for the five major producing States was 37% complete, up 10 points from the previous week and 9 points ahead of normal. Beneficial rains in the Delta improved rice growth, and rice condition was mostly good to excellent. Arkansas rice fields were treated with fungicides for sheath blight. California rice fields were treated for broadleaf weeds. Early rice harvesting in Louisiana was hindered by wet conditions. Sorghum condition was mostly good to fair. Sorghum headed at 28% complete was 2 points behind the average. Sorghum development was aided by hot weather across the Southern States. Some watering resumed in Texas, where many sorghum fields were rapidly turning color. In Missouri, 18% of the sorghum acreage was headed at about 4 days behind the average. Soybeans blooming was 33% complete, up 15 points from previous the previous week and 15 points below the average. Soybeans were in mostly good to fair condition. Blooming in Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio was behind the average by over 40 points. In Louisiana and Mississippi, soybean blooming was over 30 points ahead of the average due to the hot, muggy weather. Some Arkansas soybean fields were treated for garden web worm. In the Southeast, insect damage was reported in some dry soybean fields. Soybeans in the Corn Belt, were stressed from the continued dry weather early in the week, but were revived by the midweek storm system. Some Midwestern soybean producers reported insect damage. Mexican bean beetles and Japanese beetles invaded Tennessee soybean fields. The average height of soybeans in Minnesota was 17 inches, 2 inches below the 5-year average. National Weather Summary Volume 83, No. 29 July 14 - 20, 1996 For additional information, call (202) 720-7917. Highlights: Short-term dryness yielded abruptly to heavy rainfall and flooding in the Midwest, as 24-hour precipitation rates approached 12 inches in western Iowa and neared 17 inches in northern Illinois. In Corn Belt areas not affected by flooding, however, rainfall provided crucial moisture for reproductive crops. Rapid change also took place in the Northwest, where early-week heat was replaced by unusually cool weather. In the Southeast, meanwhile, early-week thunderstorms gave way to very warm and humid conditions. The 10-month drought continued across the Southwest despite scattered monsoonal thundershowers, and intensified on the southern Plains under a generally hot, dry regime. On Sunday, heat encompassed the West and South, resulting in daily records in Seattle, WA (91 degrees F) and Del Rio, TX (103 degrees F). Meanwhile, thunderstorms flared along a cold front arced across the Eastern and Southern States. Early-week rainfall topped 4 inches in Meridian, MS, and exceeded 2 inches in locations such as Huntington, WV, Evansville, IN, and Fayetteville, AR. On Tuesday night, torrential rain developed near the intersection of Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska, causing flooding. In western Iowa, 24-hour totals reached 11.90 inches in Castana, 11.50 inches in Hornick, and 6.32 inches in Sioux City. Record crests were reported on Wednesday in Iowa along the Soldier River at Pisgah (0.8 feet above flood stage) and on the Boyer River at Logan (4.1 feet above flood stage). Record-setting rainfall re-developed on July 17-18, striking farther east and producing all-time crest records on more than a dozen tributaries of the Illinois and Rock Rivers. A State-record 16.91 inches bombarded Aurora, IL. The DuPage River at Shorewood, IL crested at 7.54 feet above flood stage, and 4.48 feet above the previous record flood, set in October 1954. Widespread but less severe flooding affected areas from southern Wisconsin to the northern Middle Atlantic region. Farther west, a sharply amplified jet stream propelled warmth into southern Alaska, but drove cool, unsettled weather into the Northwest. On Wednesday, Juneau, AK notched a daily-record high of 80 degrees F, while highs struggled to 59 degrees F in Seattle, WA and Salem, OR. Salem also collected a daily-record rainfall (0.69 inches). A daily-record chill persisted through week's end in Spokane, WA (45 degrees F on Friday; 46 degrees F on Saturday), and spread as far east as Kalispell, MT (38 degrees F on July 20). But by Saturday afternoon, heat reached the West Coast, delivering daily-record highs to such California locations as Salinas (95 degrees F) and San Jose (101 degrees F). On July 20, San Antonio, TX registered a daily-record high of 101 degrees F, capping a week during which the maxima averaged 100 degrees F. San Antonio has yet to receive measurable rainfall in July and has posted a year-to-date precipitation total of 5.26 inches, only 31 percent (%) of normal. Elsewhere around the drought region, year-to-date rainfall (through July 20) includes 47% of normal in Clayton, NM, 37% in Wichita Falls, TX, 31% in Flagstaff, AZ, and 24% in Del Rio, TX. Farther north, dry, autumn-like air overspread the Midwest and Northeast at week's end. On Saturday, wind gusts were clocked to 43 mph in Worcester, MA, 44 mph in Albany, NY, and 154 mph atop 6,288-foot Mt. Washington, NH. Meanwhile, the axis of heavy rain shifted southward across Missouri and central Illinois. On July 20-21, 24-hour rainfall reached 7.88 inches in west-central Missouri at Knob Noster (Whiteman A.F.B.). Corn: Percent Silking, Soybeans: Percent Blooming, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 19 8 0 14 AL : 35 25 29 29 GA : 97 96 100 99 AR : 38 23 24 26 IL : 22 6 37 65 GA : 35 23 38 36 IN : 14 3 34 52 IL : 19 13 28 60 IA : 4 0 10 34 IN : 15 7 39 61 KS : 85 54 23 63 IA : 47 20 53 58 KY : 53 40 66 71 KS : 52 33 6 36 MI : 2 0 17 22 KY : 24 13 26 37 MN : 15 4 14 15 LA : 77 56 67 44 MO : 67 47 27 54 MI : 8 0 39 34 NE : 36 7 7 44 MN : 44 17 49 49 NC : 94 86 93 92 MS : 74 71 60 38 OH : 4 0 27 42 MO : 32 16 8 34 PA : 35 15 30 23 NE : 37 10 18 44 SD : 0 0 0 17 NC : 23 13 17 19 TX : 95 82 85 81 OH : 15 10 48 64 WI : 1 0 15 21 SC : 24 16 19 20 : SD : 38 18 34 44 17 Sts: 23 11 24 42 TN : 28 10 24 21 -------------------------------------- : These 17 States produced 91% of the 19 Sts: 33 18 35 48 1995 corn crop. -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 94% of the 1995 soybean crop. Winter Wheat: Percent Harvested, Cotton: Percent Squaring, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AR : 100 100 100 100 AL : 96 91 97 92 CA : 99 98 96 94 AZ : 100 98 100 99 CO : 67 21 34 68 AR : 100 100 100 99 GA : 100 100 100 100 CA : 100 95 91 96 ID : 1 0 1 4 GA : 98 96 99 97 IL : 93 82 98 92 LA : 100 100 100 98 IN : 70 60 97 84 MS : 100 99 100 97 KS : 98 89 96 94 MO : 100 99 99 98 MI : 3 0 40 42 NM : 100 90 79 85 MO : 99 94 98 89 NC : 89 73 75 82 MT : 0 0 0 0 OK : 93 84 63 71 NE : 52 26 48 63 SC : 99 91 94 94 NC : 99 96 88 97 TN : 100 99 99 96 OH : 64 37 91 74 TX : 90 80 87 75 OK : 100 100 100 100 : OR : 11 5 7 14 14 Sts: 95 89 92 87 SD : 2 0 12 30 -------------------------------------- TX : 99 97 95 98 These 14 States produced 99% of the WA : 3 1 5 10 1995 cotton crop. : 19 Sts: 74 64 73 76 -------------------------------------- These 19 States produced 92% of the 1995 winter wheat crop. Cotton: Percent Setting Bolls, Spring Wheat: Percent Headed, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 65 43 64 54 ID : 95 83 87 88 AZ : 84 70 66 82 MN : 87 68 96 98 AR : 94 65 63 65 MT : 90 71 88 88 CA : 50 20 30 42 ND : 81 55 59 86 GA : 83 66 81 68 SD : 93 87 94 98 LA : 96 67 94 82 : MS : 93 78 75 65 5 Sts : 85 64 75 89 MO : 76 42 44 51 -------------------------------------- NM : 82 49 36 40 These 5 States produced 96% of the NC : 52 37 45 50 1995 spring wheat crop. OK : 33 19 5 17 SC : 69 34 53 57 TN : 79 44 61 47 Rice: Percent Headed, TX : 41 25 37 35 Selected States : -------------------------------------- 14 Sts: 63 42 52 50 : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1991- These 14 States produced 99% of the State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 1995 cotton crop. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- : Percent Sorghum: Percent Headed, : Selected States AR : 24 20 10 15 -------------------------------------- CA : 3 0 1 0 : Week Ending : LA : 60 47 58 62 :-----------------------: 1991- MS : 48 20 36 27 State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 TX : 86 71 70 62 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 37 27 27 28 : Percent -------------------------------------- : These 5 States produced 96% of the AR : 61 43 51 53 1995 rice crop. CO : 7 0 0 2 IL : 1 0 2 18 KS : 13 8 1 9 LA : 91 78 77 74 MS : 80 70 67 65 MO : 18 8 14 26 NE : 0 0 0 10 NM : 0 0 0 3 OK : 41 31 9 19 SD : 4 0 2 5 TX : 61 58 80 72 : 12 Sts: 28 23 27 30 -------------------------------------- These 12 States produced 98% of the 1995 sorghum crop. Barley: Percent Headed, Oats: Percent Harvested, Selected States Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : : Week Ending : :-----------------------: 1991- :-----------------------: 1991- State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : ID : 84 73 81 86 IA : 5 NA 18 36 MN : 88 66 97 98 MI : 0 NA 0 7 MT : 89 64 86 89 MN : 0 NA 3 6 ND : 88 62 64 90 NE : 32 NA 35 43 SD : 95 80 92 98 ND : 0 NA 0 0 WA : 99 89 100 100 OH : 7 NA 56 33 : PA : 14 NA 5 14 6 Sts : 89 67 78 91 SD : 1 NA 0 0 -------------------------------------- WI : 0 NA 5 6 These 6 States produced 82% of the : 1995 barley crop. 9 Sts : 3 NA 8 11 -------------------------------------- These 9 States produced 70% of the Oats: Percent Headed, 1995 oats crop. Selected States -------------------------------------- : Week Ending : Peanuts: Percent Pegging, :-----------------------: 1991- Selected States State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 -------------------------------------- : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. : Week Ending : -------------------------------------- :-----------------------: 1991- : Percent State:Jul 21,:Jul 14,:Jul 21,: 1995 : : 1996 : 1996 : 1995 : Avg. IA : 100 99 100 99 -------------------------------------- MI : 93 90 94 92 : Percent MN : 99 95 98 98 : NE : 100 100 NA NA AL : 92 71 75 72 ND : 75 54 54 86 FL : 99 98 NA NA OH : 100 99 100 100 GA : 92 84 97 93 PA : 98 95 91 37 NC : 75 40 NA NA SD : 95 87 93 98 OK : 95 88 58 56 WI : 90 80 99 95 SC : 76 63 0 0 : TX : 63 50 NA NA 9 Sts : 93 85 89 92 VA : 80 57 NA NA -------------------------------------- : These 9 States produced 56% of the 8 Sts : 85 71 86 83 1995 oats crop. -------------------------------------- These 8 States produced 99% of the 1995 peanut crop. Corn: Crop Condition Soybeans: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : CO : 1 2 13 68 16 AL : 0 3 50 42 5 GA : 5 16 34 39 6 AR : 4 12 27 45 12 IL : 4 12 39 38 7 GA : 2 10 37 48 3 IN : 3 16 38 36 7 IL : 5 18 42 32 3 IA : 1 5 22 53 19 IN : 4 17 41 32 6 KS : 0 2 13 56 29 IA : 2 6 28 48 16 KY : 1 7 31 48 13 KS : 0 3 23 60 14 MI : 8 12 35 33 12 KY : 1 7 33 46 13 MN : 1 6 30 54 9 LA : 0 5 27 55 13 MO : 2 10 30 45 13 MI : 6 15 31 37 11 NE : 1 3 22 50 24 MN : 1 7 37 49 6 NC : 7 15 30 43 5 MS : 4 8 34 43 11 OH : 4 16 39 35 6 MO : 3 12 37 43 5 PA : 2 4 17 48 29 NE : 1 3 25 53 18 SD : 0 2 16 56 26 NC : 1 6 28 56 9 TX : 19 13 31 22 15 OH : 4 13 41 37 5 WI : 2 8 25 54 11 SC : 2 7 23 63 5 : SD : 1 3 21 50 25 17 Sts : 3 8 28 47 14 TN : 1 2 23 54 20 : : Prev Wk : 3 8 28 48 13 19 Sts : 3 10 34 43 10 Prev Yr : 1 8 31 48 12 : -------------------------------------- Prev Wk : 2 9 34 46 9 Prev Yr : 1 10 35 45 9 -------------------------------------- Cotton: Crop Condition Spring Wheat: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- -------------------------------------- : Percent : Percent : : AL : 1 2 19 62 16 ID : 0 2 8 55 35 AZ : 1 4 19 38 38 MN : 1 6 38 50 5 AR : 0 7 22 57 14 MT : 1 14 40 41 4 CA : 0 0 0 60 40 ND : 1 3 25 61 10 GA : 1 8 30 48 13 SD : 0 4 23 51 22 LA : 0 6 37 42 15 : MS : 3 6 28 54 9 5 Sts : 1 6 30 53 10 MO : 0 8 31 56 5 : NM : 0 8 18 64 10 Prev Wk : 1 6 28 55 10 NC : 1 3 12 73 11 Prev Yr : 1 6 28 54 11 OK : 0 9 25 62 4 -------------------------------------- SC : 6 5 27 56 6 TN : 0 2 18 63 17 TX : 5 17 36 31 11 Rice: Crop Condition by Percent, : Selected States 14 Sts : 3 10 27 46 14 -------------------------------------- : State : VP : P : F : G : EX Prev Wk : 5 13 26 41 15 -------------------------------------- Prev Yr : 1 10 28 52 9 : Percent -------------------------------------- : AR : 0 3 16 59 22 CA : 0 0 10 80 10 Sorghum: Crop Condition LA : 0 3 30 58 9 by Percent, Selected States MS : 5 6 37 48 4 -------------------------------------- TX : 0 5 20 42 33 State : VP : P : F : G : EX : -------------------------------------- 5 Sts : 0 3 20 60 17 : Percent : : Prev Wk : 0 3 14 66 17 AR : 6 16 34 38 6 Prev Yr : 0 2 21 59 18 CO : 0 4 17 68 11 -------------------------------------- IL : 5 11 44 38 2 KS : 0 4 26 54 16 LA : 0 1 29 61 9 Barley: Crop Condition MS : 3 13 29 48 7 by Percent, Selected States MO : 2 7 31 51 9 -------------------------------------- NE : 0 3 33 52 12 State : VP : P : F : G : EX NM : 3 35 33 29 0 -------------------------------------- OK : 0 2 16 81 1 : Percent SD : 0 0 23 67 10 : TX : 6 13 38 33 10 ID : 0 3 11 60 26 : MN : 1 5 40 48 6 12 Sts : 2 8 31 47 12 MT : 4 15 35 40 6 : ND : 0 3 19 65 13 Prev Wk : 4 6 27 53 10 SD : 0 2 20 70 8 Prev Yr : 2 7 34 50 7 WA : 3 12 32 42 11 -------------------------------------- : 6 Sts : 1 7 25 55 12 : Prev Wk : 1 5 26 54 14 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA -------------------------------------- Oats: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : IA : 0 3 24 61 12 MI : 2 14 32 43 9 MN : 1 6 29 58 6 NE : 0 4 21 56 19 ND : 0 6 24 61 9 OH : 3 11 51 33 2 PA : 0 6 23 61 10 SD : 0 1 19 70 10 WI : 0 7 20 61 12 : 9 Sts : 0 5 25 60 10 : Prev Wk : 1 6 26 57 10 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA -------------------------------------- Peanut: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------- : Percent : AL : 0 2 31 61 6 FL : 0 0 25 58 17 GA : 1 9 38 46 6 NC : 0 1 6 85 8 OK : 0 8 34 49 9 SC : 6 4 41 47 2 TX : 3 11 39 44 3 VA : 0 0 10 30 60 : 8 Sts : 1 6 31 52 10 : Prev Wk : 1 6 34 50 9 Prev Yr : NA NA NA NA NA -------------------------------------- Pasture and Range: Crop Condition by Percent, Selected States -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State : VP : P : F : G : EX :: State : VP : P : F : G : EX -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Percent :: : Percent : :: : AL : 2 9 39 43 7 :: NJ : 0 0 0 65 35 AZ : 49 32 14 5 0 :: NM : 15 34 31 14 6 AR : 4 21 33 37 5 :: NY : 0 0 11 68 21 CA : 5 10 25 60 0 :: NC : 4 16 43 33 4 CO : 2 6 28 55 9 :: ND : 1 5 25 58 11 CT : 0 0 5 94 1 :: OH : 5 18 43 29 5 DE : 0 0 17 80 3 :: OK : 1 10 35 52 2 FL : 0 0 20 55 25 :: OR : 0 2 13 53 32 GA : 5 21 43 30 1 :: PA : 1 4 27 55 13 ID : 0 3 25 53 19 :: RI : 0 1 8 84 7 IL : 3 16 46 31 4 :: SC : 15 23 31 29 2 IN : 4 17 43 34 2 :: SD : 0 1 16 62 21 IA : 3 15 36 39 7 :: TN : 3 15 41 37 4 KS : 1 8 36 52 3 :: TX : 25 33 32 9 1 KY : 1 9 29 52 9 :: UT : 4 12 37 44 3 LA : 0 6 34 50 10 :: VT : 0 0 22 76 2 ME : 0 3 6 48 43 :: VA : 2 11 31 41 15 MD : 1 2 11 70 16 :: WA : 0 14 23 51 12 MA : 0 0 9 89 2 :: WV : 0 2 24 65 9 MI : 2 14 38 38 8 :: WI : 4 6 20 59 11 MN : 1 14 41 40 4 :: WY : 0 3 25 62 10 MS : 4 16 33 43 4 :: : MO : 4 19 49 27 1 :: 48 Sts : 6 13 31 43 7 MT : 2 13 39 42 4 :: : NE : 0 5 38 49 8 :: Prev Wk: 6 13 30 45 6 NV : 5 5 6 84 0 :: Prev Yr: 2 10 28 47 13 NH : 0 0 38 58 4 :: : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VP - Very Poor P - Poor F - Fair G - Good Ex - Excellent