MINNESOTA AG NEWS MONTHLY CROP-WEATHER Released: February 5, 2007 Issue No. CW-05-07 USDA, NASS, MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE, IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE, USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS The following comments are from Minnesota's County Extension Educators, FSA (USDA - Farm Service Agency), and NRCS (USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service) Offices for the Month of January 2007 BROWN: Snow cover is minimal. Frost depth is 8-12 inches. Feed availability is not a concern. Livestock conditions are good and enjoying the mild winter. Moisture supplies are still a concern. Planning activities is whether or not to grow corn on corn. Snow cover is 3-6 inches. Land rents going through the roof. CROW WING: We have very little snow cover, 3inches or so. I am guessing after this week the frost will be around 40 inches deep. Feed is available but many farmers are purchasing hay. Most livestock are in good condition. Moisture levels are still behind average. FILLMORE: Fillmore County has 2-3 inches of snow, but varies throughout the county. Depth of frost is 1-2 feet, depending on if it's open ground or grass cover. Feed availability in most areas is adequate. Livestock are in really good shape. Moisture supplies could be better. The little snow cover was good to see. One alfalfa grower had concerns of hay freezing out with the freezing and thawing that went on earlier. I see lots of producers changing plans to corn vs soybeans in their crop planning for 2007. GOODHUE: Snow depth in Goodhue county averaged 3". Frost is in excess of 12" deep. Field tile lines are still flowing which suggests adequate to excess soil moisture. GRANT: Warmer than usual weather in January provided opportunities to maintain cattle condition and growth with much less than usual feed amounts. Cattle for the most part are wintering very well. Less bedding needs also helps the bottom line and time necessary for care. The ice still on the hay/alfalfa fields are going to show some to very detrimental effects on plant survival; especially when combined with the small to no protection afforded by snow cover and the extreme fluctuations of temperature and wind. Plant survival is further going to be effected by the relatively dry soil conditions this past fall and this winter; further compounded by the plants drought stress conditions this past growing season. Frost levels with this amount of snow cover are going to be much deeper than they have been. Weather patterns in the past few years seem to contribute to a later planting date because of greater time required for soils to thaw and warm up to planting temperatures. HUBBARD: Presently we have 2-3 inches of snow cover. Due to cold temperatures the frost depth has gone down and started to affect septic systems. Good feed availability and good livestock conditions. Low subsoil moisture, a very real concern due to dry conditions at freeze up. Some concerns how the alfalfa and winter wheat will be affected by late freezing rains and lack of snow cover. ITASCA: Throughout the month there was minimal snow cover; an inch or less. Livestock conditions are fair. Feed consumption has greatly increased due to the colder weather. Feed supplies are adequate. KANDIYOHI: Little to no snow cover. Subsoil moisture short. We had 1 inch of rain around Christmas and it all went in the ground. We will need spring rains to make a crop. Last year we were 100% recharged but not this year. KITTSON: Adequate snow cover at this time for forage and fall seeded crops. Snow cover is still below normal levels. Adequate feed supplies exists. Producers feeding CRP hay are using supplements. Some concerns with drought potential. Flood potential appears to be minimal at this time, however, this could change rapidly. Average temperatures for the most part have been above average. LINCOLN: Feed supplies generally good. Winter has had generally above normal temperatures thru January. Little snow and some ice. MARTIN: Snow cover of approximately 6 inches. Very cold temperatures now and for the upcoming weekend. Moisture conditons adequate for spring so far. MORRISON: We have very little snow cover; about 1/2 to 1 inch of snow is on the ground as of February 2nd. Frost is 2-3 feet deep. Livestock conditions have been very good, with adequate feed supplies. Frost has penetrated at least three feet down due to lack of snow cover. Definite concerns of a widespread winter kill of alfalfa in the county this winter. There still is a concern for dry spring conditions unless we get substantial rainfall before planting. NORMAN: Most of the snow is concentrated along tree rows and in road ditches. Very little snow is staying on the fields at this point. Livestock conditions are good. Most farmers have adequate feed to this point in the winter. Due to the drought last year and lack of snowfall this winter the drought conditions could persist into this spring and summer. A lot of producers are pondering what crops to plant this year if it stays dry. PENNINGTON: Snow cover is minimal and cold weather could cause serious damage to winter wheat and alfalfa. Feed appears readily available but corn prices are up so livestock are getting more alternative feeds like beet pulp and tailings. Current conditions for livestock are very good. Snow depths are less than 3 inches across most fields. Fields with vegetation are holding some snow. Concerns over drought conditions are mounting as moisture levels continue to remain below normal. PINE: Snow cover is about 1-2", with frost depth about 1 ft. Hay being hauled into the county. Many will be out of corn silage by March 1. Feed supplies low-buying corn. Moisture are a concern as topsoil and subsoil levels remain very low from drought last year. Need several inches in spring rain. POLK: Snow cover ranges from 1 - 2 inches. Temperatures were above normal for most of January, although we experienced temperatures below zero during the last week. Lots of grain sales occurring. Feed availability is adequate. There is concern about continuing drought conditions if a significant amount of snow or moisture is not received by spring planting. RED LAKE: Still very little snow cover. Ground is dry and moisture will be needed this spring. Mild temperatures favorable for livestock feeding. SIBLEY: Snow cover is about 6 inches, with frost 2 to 3 feet deep. Winter has been very easy on livestock and supplies. STEARNS: Trace of snow on ground. Very dry! Local utility replacing power poles, reported 3 feet of frost. STEVENS: Frost depth is 25 inches. Snow cover 1 inch. WATONWAN: Snow cover is 2-5 inches with areas of drifting and some areas exposed. With the snow cover being shallow, livestock can access ground and feed. Livestock conditions appear good. Moisture supplies appear less than average. WINONA: Good winter so far. There were problems with feedlots being too soft, which gave producers a chance to haul manure out of barns. Feed supplies are adequate. Snow cover is about 4-6 inches, and moisture will be good going into spring. PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY, 2007: Temperatures during January averaged from 5.1 degrees above normal in the Southwest District to 8.2 degrees above normal in the Central District. Temperature extremes included a low of -24 degrees at Warroad, and a high of 48 degrees at Winona. Precipitation averaged from 0.77 inch below normal in the West Central District to 0.32 inch above normal in the South Central District. Greatest monthly precipitation of 1.76 inches was recorded in Winnebago. Precipitation and Temperature Summary for January 2007 Temperature Precipitation High Low Month Dept. Month Dept. Ave for Total for Month Month NW DIST 1 Crookston 36 -21 9.6 5.8 .26 -.28 Moorhead 38 -15 13.0 6.2 .10 -.66 Warroad 40 -24 8.2 7.2 .18 -.45 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 40 -14 13.8 7.4 .17 -.84 Intl. Falls 41 -22 9.5 6.8 .31 -.53 Itasca 41 -21 11.9 9.0 .20 -.70 NE DIST 3 Duluth 35 -12 13.7 5.3 .20 -.92 Grand Marais 42 -3 19.6 5.7 .21 -.51 Hibbing 35 -22 10.2 4.9 .08 -.71 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 41 -10 15.7 7.8 .10 -.91 Browns Valley 42 -12 16.6 6.9 .17 -.67 Canby 41 -10 18.5 4.8 .30 -.58 Fergus Falls 38 -15 13.6 7.2 .08 -.91 Montevideo 41 -12 18.8 8.8 .01 -.90 Morris 42 -12 14.9 6.5 .18 -.67 CENT DIST 5 Becker 45 -9 17.6 8.8 .22 -.64 Collegeville 46 -9 19.2 8.5 .25 -.66 Hutchinson 42 -9 19.4 9.4 .54 -.23 Olivia 43 -12 17.8 7.7 .34 -.24 St. Cloud 44 -10 17.1 8.3 .16 -.60 Staples 39 -14 13.6 7.3 .16 -.79 Willmar 40 -9 16.6 7.7 .14 -.68 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 43 -14 16.4 9.4 .34 -.69 Forest Lake 44 -12 18.4 8.0 .73 -.25 MSP Airport 41 -6 19.6 6.5 .31 -.73 St. Paul - UofM 41 -7 20.4 5.6 .34 -.68 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 44 -19 18.2 6.1 .40 -.25 Pipestone 40 -17 16.1 4.9 1.18 .63 Redwood Falls 41 -12 17.8 4.8 .35 -.35 Worthington 44 -18 16.8 5.4 .52 -.18 SC DIST 8 Faribault 42 -15 18.6 7.0 .94 -.11 Mankato 43 -18 18.4 5.9 1.64 .57 Waseca 42 -22 17.0 6.0 1.31 -.07 Winnebago 41 -15 17.8 5.6 1.76 .88 SE DIST 9 Preston 46 -17 19.2 6.5 1.02 .01 Red Wing 44 -13 19.9 7.9 1.28 .47 Rochester 43 -12 18.3 6.5 .53 -.41 Rosemount 41 -13 19.2 9.1 .79 -.43 Winona 48 -8 21.6 5.9 1.17 .23 m=some data missing MONTHLY NEWS REPORT Minnesota Crop-Weather Report Publication No. 387190 USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office MN Dept. Of Agriculture P.O. Box 7068 St Paul, MN 55107 Phone: (651)296-2230 E-Mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov Homepage:http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn