mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending August 24, 2008 Issue MN-CW-34-08 Agricultural Summary Minnesota farmers harvested nearly a third of the state's spring wheat crop, aided by the warm dry weather during the past week, according to USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Farmers also made advances with harvesting other small grains as well as potatoes, canola and sweet corn crops. Nearly half of the corn crop was in the dough stage of development and soybeans were just starting to turn yellow. The average temperature for the week was 69.4 degrees, 2.4 degrees above normal. Statewide topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday, August 22nd were 21 percent very short, 35 short, 43 adequate, and 1 surplus. Statewide, on average, there were 6.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week. Field Crops Summary As of Sunday, August 24th, 44 percent of corn was in dough stage compared to 89 percent last year and 69 percent average. Eight percent of corn was in the dent stage compared to 65 percent last year and 36 percent average. Soybeans were 3 percent turning yellow compared to 17 percent last year and 10 percent average. Spring wheat was 45 percent harvested compared to 92 percent last year and 73 percent average. Barley was 75 percent harvested compared to 99 percent last year and 85 percent average. Oats were 82 percent harvested compared to 98 percent last year and 91 percent average. As of Friday, August 22nd, 62 percent of corn and 65 percent of soybeans were rated in good or excellent condition. Eighty-five percent of spring wheat and 74 percent of barley were rated good or excellent. Sixty-six percent of dry beans, 83 percent of sunflowers, 71 percent of canola, 77 percent of sugarbeets, and 33 percent of pasture were rated in good or excellent condition. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 6.7 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 21 35 43 1 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of August 24, 2008 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Milk 92 74 100 95 Dough 44 20 89 69 Dent 8 4 65 36 Corn Silage Harvested 7 1 17 7 Soybeans Setting Pods 97 89 99 98 Turning Yellow 3 0 17 10 Spring Wheat Ripening 97 83 100 99 Harvested 45 15 92 73 Barley Ripening 96 90 100 100 Harvested 75 39 99 85 Oats Harvested 82 57 98 91 Potatoes Harvested 19 7 28 25 Sweet Corn Harvested 34 22 55 49 Canola Harvested 16 1 56 52 Crop Condition Table Crop Condition as of August 22, 2008 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Corn 6 8 24 52 10 Soybeans 4 6 25 52 13 Spring Wheat 0 1 14 58 27 Barley 1 2 23 53 21 Potatoes 0 1 9 58 32 Sugarbeets 0 2 21 54 23 Dry Beans 4 5 25 48 18 Sunflowers 0 1 16 57 26 Canola 0 5 24 50 21 Pasture 12 19 36 31 2 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 8/18/2008 through 8/24/2008 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 91 43 70.4 3.1 1.28 .62 1.45 -1.25 1549 -191 Moorhead 87 43 68.9 .7 0 -.56 2.20 3.85 1730 -88 Warroad 87 42 66.9 2.2 .58 -.07 .15 1.60 1359 -176 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 87 50 69.7 5.6 0 -.80 -2.43 -.68 1523 -7 Intl. Falls 83 34 62.8 -.1 .08 -.63 -2.18 1.08 1224 -214 Itasca 87 42 68.2 4.7 .03 -.80 -2.35 .97 1384 -56 NE DIST 3 Duluth 81 47 64.9 2.0 .09 -.87 -2.40 .55 1288 -51 Grand Marais 76 49 63.7 1.3 0 -.71 -2.44 4.85 935 -60 Hibbing 83 37 64.0 1.3 .25 -.50 -2.44 -.82 1248 -147 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 87 49 69.5 2.6 0 -.82 -1.72 -1.57 1696 -45 Browns Valley 89 42 70.1 1.0 0 -.60 .02 2.16 1780 -137 Canby 91 48 72.2 2.0 0 -.62 -.58 -1.09 1927 -79 Fergus Falls 87 48 71.9 4.4 0 -.70 -1.47 -.22 1674 -89 Montevideo 89 49 69.9 1.0 0 -.70 -1.79 -3.05 1814 -98 Morris 87 43 69.3 1.1 0 -.71 -.19 -2.35 1718 -144 CENT DIST 5 Becker 91 47 72.7 6.4 0 -.96 -3.02 -2.92 1834 112 Collegeville 91 50 72.0 2.7 0 -.88 -.83 .62 1883 -57 Hutchinson 90 47 71.6 3.2 0 -.90 -1.39 -3.33 1869 -62 Olivia 88 44 69.8 2.2 0 -.77 -1.05 -1.34 1753 -130 St. Cloud 91 44 70.2 3.9 0 -.92 -.57 -.88 1729 7 Staples 87 41 69.4 4.7 0 -.70 -2.45 -2.14 1490 -66 Willmar 89 49 71.2 3.2 0 -.87 -1.21 -4.23 1840 -37 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 88 43 66.6 2.8 .02 -.84 -2.71 -1.57 1506 28 Forest Lake 93 48 73.1 5.4 .06 -.97 -2.17 -.93 1803 -30 MSP Airport 89 54 73.5 3.8 0 -.91 -2.42 -5.48 2101 102 St. Paul - UofM 91 52 74.0 3.7 0 -.99 -2.82 -6.28 2040 -6 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 87 44 70.0 1.5 0 -.76 -2.12 -2.57 1901 -54 Pipestone 85 44 67.7 -.8 0 -.70 -.08 -.25 1742 -139 Redwood Falls 89 47 70.8 .6 .01 -.80 -1.70 -2.76 1921 -137 Worthington 84 47 69.0 1.6 0 -.79 -1.69 1.62 1874 36 SC DIST 8 Faribault 87 47 71.0 3.0 0 -1.00 -2.20 -.97 1831 -38 Mankato 87 47 70.8 1.8 0 -1.01 -2.32 -3.66 1855 -89 Waseca 86 44 70.0 1.8 0 -1.04 -2.74 -.58 1828 -69 Winnebago 87 48 70.9 2.0 0 -.95 -2.80 -2.40 1961 3 SE DIST 9 Preston 87 52 70.2 2.7 .21 -.85 -1.17 7.19 1794 0 Red Wing 90 51 72.5 3.4 .03 -.86 -2.01 -1.77 1888 -42 Rochester 85 50 69.4 2.4 .15 -.81 -2.41 .42 1862 91 Rosemount 88 50 71.6 3.8 .21 -.83 -2.65 -3.23 1833 -11 Winona 84 54 69.8 -1.2 .14 -.79 -2.97 3.53 1814 -314 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/