mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending July 6, 2008 Issue MN-CW-27-08 Agricultural Summary Producers harvested 11 percent of the state's first cutting alfalfa during the past week, virtually completing the first harvest of the crop, according to USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Warm, dry weather across the state aided small grains development with more than half of the crop reaching the heading stage. Producers were also able to finish planting sweet corn and continue spraying activities. The average temperature for the week was 67.7 degrees, 1.1 degrees below normal. Statewide topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday, July 4th were 3 percent very short, 21 short, 72 adequate, and 4 surplus. Statewide, on average, there were 6.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week. Field Crops Summary As of Sunday, July 6th, the average corn height was estimated at 34 inches compared to 64 inches last year and 46 inches for the 5-year average. The average height of soybeans was 9 inches compared to 17 inches last year and 13 inches for the 5-year average. Spring wheat was 56 percent headed compared to 94 last year and 78 average. Oats were 70 percent headed compared to 96 last year and 85 average. Barley was 56 percent headed compared to 94 last year and 78 average. The first cutting of alfalfa reached 98 percent complete compared to 98 percent last year and 96 percent average. As of Friday, July 4th, 72 percent of corn and 68 percent of soybeans were rated in good or excellent condition. Eighty-two percent of spring wheat, 79 percent of oats, and 81 percent of barley were rated in good or excellent condition. Seventy-one percent of green peas, 54 percent of dry beans, 63 percent of sunflowers, 55 percent of canola, 69 percent of alfalfa, and 63 percent of pasture were rated in good or excellent condition. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 6.3 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 3 21 72 4 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of July 6, 2008 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Height (inches) 34 20 64 46 Soybeans Height (inches) 9 6 17 13 Blooming 9 N/A 35 21 Spring Wheat Jointing 91 82 100 96 Heading 56 25 94 78 Oats Jointing 94 84 100 97 Heading 70 35 96 85 Barley Jointing 88 77 99 94 Heading 56 21 94 78 Sweet Corn Planted 99 93 100 99 Alfalfa First Cutting 98 87 98 96 Crop Condition Table Crop Condition as of July 4, 2008 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Corn 1 4 23 58 14 Soybeans 1 4 27 57 11 Spring Wheat 1 3 14 62 20 Oats 0 2 19 61 18 Barley 1 2 16 60 21 Potatoes 0 5 13 53 29 Green Peas 1 4 24 61 10 Sugarbeets 1 4 27 52 16 Dry Beans 1 6 39 46 8 Sunflowers 1 5 31 50 13 Canola 0 0 45 50 5 Alfalfa 1 8 22 54 15 Pasture 2 5 30 56 7 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 6/30/2008 through 7/6/2008 Temperature Precipitation G D D High Low Week Depart Week Depart From Norm Since Depart Ave from Total Past Four Since May from Norm Week Weeks 4/1 14 Norm NW DIST 1 Crookston 86 45 67.2 -1.2 0 -.77 -1.19 -1.95 653 -139 Moorhead 90 46 69.6 .3 .03 -.71 .38 1.96 734 -91 Warroad 86 48 67.0 .8 .60 -.30 .23 1.04 600 -83 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 88 43 66.2 -.3 0 -1.12 -1.94 2.73 658 -37 Intl. Falls 86 39 62.8 -2.2 .01 -.85 .36 2.41 542 -106 Itasca 86 42 64.1 -.9 .15 -.81 -.38 4.44 574 -68 NE DIST 3 Duluth 86 47 66.0 2.1 0 -1.00 -1.92 1.55 562 -6 Grand Marais 80 45 58.3 .6 .41 -.40 1.06 8.06 322 -25 Hibbing 84 38 60.8 -3.9 0 -1.12 -.80 1.60 537 -81 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 88 50 69.3 .5 0 -.86 -.91 -1.13 687 -98 Browns Valley 88 46 67.5 -3.5 0 -.81 .63 3.45 733 -138 Canby 90 47 70.1 -2.0 0 -.88 -2.40 .07 808 -115 Fergus Falls 88 40 66.4 -2.4 0 -.82 -.93 1.52 666 -132 Montevideo 90 49 70.0 -1.0 0 -.88 -1.48 -.43 780 -104 Morris 90 49 68.5 -1.6 0 -.94 -1.06 -.08 717 -143 CENT DIST 5 Becker 87 50 70.0 1.3 0 -1.00 -2.56 1.11 775 -8 Collegeville 91 50 71.8 .8 0 -.94 -.87 2.56 807 -85 Hutchinson 89 50 70.4 -.9 0 -.94 -1.62 -.34 810 -92 Olivia 87 47 66.2 -4.5 0 -.93 -1.79 -.08 756 -134 St. Cloud 91 46 68.3 -.4 0 -.87 -1.32 .63 745 -38 Staples 87 44 66.1 -.3 .01 -.91 -.92 .33 609 -96 Willmar 89 53 70.0 -.5 0 -1.02 -2.91 -1.39 773 -101 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 88 45 65.2 -.5 0 -1.08 -.70 1.68 608 -55 Forest Lake 88 49 68.5 -1.4 0 -1.06 -.90 1.74 781 -68 MSP Airport 93 55 73.5 1.4 0 -.96 -2.77 -2.37 897 -27 St. Paul - UofM 91 53 73.2 .7 0 -1.08 -3.14 -2.48 887 -68 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 88 50 69.6 -2.0 0 -.86 -1.94 -.81 836 -95 Pipestone 87 46 68.1 -2.5 0 -.83 -1.39 .31 746 -118 Redwood Falls 92 49 70.6 -2.2 0 -.92 -1.92 -.14 836 -139 Worthington 86 47 69.5 -.8 0 -.93 -1.03 2.23 818 -38 SC DIST 8 Faribault 87 44 68.3 -2.4 0 -.97 -2.03 1.16 790 -77 Mankato 87 53 68.7 -2.6 0 -1.15 -3.76 -1.89 808 -98 Waseca 87 54 69.7 -1.0 0 -.99 -1.79 .07 816 -79 Winnebago 86 52 69.6 -2.1 0 -.98 -2.06 1.23 871 -54 SE DIST 9 Preston 85 49 68.0 -1.7 .15 -.93 -.56 9.13 787 -37 Red Wing 89 50 69.4 -1.7 0 -.97 -1.09 .55 818 -69 Rochester 85 53 69.5 .2 0 -1.01 -.09 3.58 857 40 Rosemount 86 52 69.4 -.9 0 -1.07 -2.34 -.21 779 -75 Winona 84 54 67.2 -6.6 0 -.94 .29 4.96 792 -201 m=some data missing Corn growing degree days (GDD) are calculated by subtracting a 50 degree base temperature from the average of the maximum and minimum temperature for the day. The daily maximum is limited to 86 degrees and minimum of 50 degrees. Contact Information 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 USDA-NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE Minnesota Department of Agriculture PO Box 7068, St. Paul, MN 55107 Phone: (651) 296-2230 E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/