Area farmers are making hay while the sun shines.

"A lot of farmers have been in the hay fields this week," said Terry Birk. "They're cutting and baling alfalfa, fescue, timothy and various orchard grass mixtures."

Hay harvesting has been hampered by recent rains, and the crop was effected earlier by dry spring weather.

"Hay production in the area is expected to be down from last year," noted Birk, of the Cape Girardeau County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) office. "Some of late freezes we had in this area is having an effect on the fields."

This marks the second straight year that alfalfa production is down. A year ago, alfalfa production was down statewide about 6 percent. Other hay production in the state appears to be up.

Statewide, more than 70 percent of the first crop of alfalfa has been cut. Farmers usually get four crops of alfalfa a year.

"That's about average for this time of year," said Birk. "But, cutting of all other hay is a little behind."

The majority of farmers in the immediate area use circular bailers noted Birk.

"The round bales store better outside than square bales," he said. "However, a lot of farmers still use the square bailers. They stack, better on the inside."

Birk added that a lot of farmers did leave their hay outside.

"The round bales shed rain better," said Birk, "But, any hay stored outside experiences some spoilage."

Meanwhile, the early June rains have been beneficial to farm crops, said Birk.

"When crops were initially planted, we had a dry spell, and had some poor stands, which forced some replanting," he said. "Since then, everything has been pretty good for the farmers."

The corn crop has been reported as more than 70 percent "fair" statewide, with good crops in the southeast sector. Some of the corn crop is rated "poor" in the northern areas of the state.

Agriculture officials say only 15 percent of the crop statewide is in "good" condition, with 15 percent very poor, and 67 percent only "fair."

The majority of Missouri cotton is raised in the Bootheel. The earlier fields of cotton are just beginning the squaring state, which is about normal for this date.

Single-crop soybean planting is near completion, which places planting well ahead of 1991, when only 48 percent had been planted at this time of year.

Winter wheat is turning color, with harvest just starting in the deep Bootheel area.

Wheat acreage is down in the Southeast Missouri area, with about 268,000 acres, compared to more than 300,000 a year ago.

Agriculture officials say disease problems have been less than the past two years, but that thin stands and army worms are expected to limit the yield prospects.

Missouri wheat production is forecast at about 51.8 million bushels, up 7 percent from the crop of 1991. Nationally, wheat production is forecast at 1.54 billion bushels, up 12 percent over 1991.