mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending September 21, 2008 Issue MN-CW-38-08 Agricultural Summary Minnesota producers continued harvesting canola, sweet corn, potatoes, and dry beans during the past week, according to USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Harvest progress was aided by warmer than normal temperatures and little rainfall. Corn and soybean crop development continued at a normal pace, but overall progress remained behind last year and average. The average temperature for the week was 61.6 degrees, 4.3 degrees above normal. Statewide topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday, September 19th were 10 percent very short, 26 short, 62 adequate, and 2 surplus. Statewide, on average, there were 5.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week. Field Crops Summary As of Sunday, September 21st, 95 percent of corn had reached the dent stage compared to 100 percent last year, and 93 percent for the five- year average. Eighteen percent of the corn was mature, compared to 83 percent last year, and 54 percent average. Soybeans were 92 percent turning yellow compared to 98 percent last year and 94 percent average. Fifty-three percent of soybeans were dropping leaves compared to 92 percent last year and 73 percent average. Eight percent of the soybeans were mature, compared to 68 percent last year and 41 percent average. As of Friday, September 19th, 64 percent of corn and 67 percent of soybeans were rated in good or excellent condition. Sixty-four percent of dry beans, 83 percent of sunflowers, 74 percent of sugarbeets, and 32 percent of pasture were rated in good or excellent condition. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 5.6 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 10 26 62 2 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of September 21, 2008 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Dent 95 81 100 93 Mature 18 6 83 54 Corn Silage Harvested 62 35 88 71 Soybeans Turning Yellow 92 70 98 94 Dropping Leaves 53 18 92 73 Mature 8 0 68 41 Harvested 1 0 11 7 Sugarbeets Harvested 6 3 9 8 Potatoes Harvested 44 36 55 53 Sweet Corn Harvested 83 78 97 90 Canola Harvested 78 60 100 93 Dry Beans Harvested 48 37 53 43 Crop Condition Table Crop Condition as of September 19, 2008 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Corn 5 8 23 55 9 Soybeans 3 6 24 56 11 Potatoes 0 1 11 50 38 Sugarbeets 1 2 23 53 21 Dry Beans 0 3 33 51 13 Sunflowers 0 1 16 63 20 Pasture 10 23 35 31 1 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 9/15/2008 through 9/21/2008 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 80 42 59.2 3.3 0 -.51 2.14 .90 1891 -190 Moorhead 85 42 65.1 8.2 .01 -.49 2.77 6.62 2106 -74 Warroad 78 41 56.7 3.7 .02 -.59 .93 2.54 1656 -161 NC DIST 2 Dalton 83 42 63.8 5.8 .17 -.32 -.30m .25m 2101m -62m Grand Rapids 79 36 59.2 5.3 0 -.71 -1.09 -1.66 1837 19 Intl. Falls 79 32 53.8 1.7 0 -.71 .85 1.94 1494 -202 NE DIST 3 Itasca 80 37 57.0 4.8 .13 -.55 1.13 2.10 1696 -12 Duluth 76 36 56.7 2.9 0 -.97 -.19 .36 1570 -47 Grand Marais 72 39 56.0 1.7 .01 -.79 .07 4.92 1155 -120 WC DIST 4 Hibbing 77 29 54.8 2.2 .01 -.74 -1.47 -2.30 1539 -119 Alexandria 80 40 62.5 5.7 0 -.61 -.46 -2.03 2050 -43 Browns Valley 85 39 61.3 2.6 0 -.41 .98 3.14 2155 -157 Canby 88 42 63.8 3.2 .15 -.40 -1.60 -2.69 2339 -96 Fergus Falls 82 32 62.6 5.7 .17 -.32 .62 .40 2056 -66 Montevideo 85 39 65.2 6.0 .10 -.41 .26 -2.80 2215 -95 CENT DIST 5 Morris 83 39 61.2 3.2 .41 -.07 .33 -2.02 2071 -169 Becker 83 42 61.4 4.4 .05 -.66 2.02 -.90 2210 98 Collegeville 83 43 64.8 4.8 .03 -.70 -.38 .24 2281 -69 Hutchinson 85 41 62.7 3.4 .54 .04 2.51 -.82 2254 -68 Olivia 82 37 59.9 1.7 .40 -.22 2.10 .76 2114 -145 St. Cloud 82 40 62.1 5.6 .01 -.64 .92 .05 2094 34 Staples 81 37 60.4 5.3 0 -.59 -.43 -2.57 1823 -43 EC DIST 6 Willmar 84 39 61.7 3.2 .55 -.08 .92 -3.31 2215 -43 Aitkin 81 39 59.4 5.1 .31 -.35 -.99 -2.56 1856 92 Forest Lake 83 44 65.0 6.7 .64 -.10 -.91 -1.83 2219 9 Hinckley 78 37 56.7 2.3 .26 -.49 3.46 4.98m 1686 -164 SW DIST 7 MSP Airport 82 47 66.8 6.7 0 -.59 .42 -5.05 2539 122 St. Paul - UofM 83 46 66.4 5.0 .03 -.69 -.81 -7.09 2477 -9 Lamberton 85 38 63.4 4.0 .10 -.48 -.69 -3.26 2303 -48 Redwood Falls 86 40 66.0 5.2 0 -.55 .67 -2.09 2342 -148 SC DIST 8 Sioux Falls 85 38 66.8 6.8 0 -.59 -1.48 -2.27 2494 122 Worthington 83 38 62.6 4.3 0 -.57 -1.15 .47 2252 42 Faribault 82 48 63.2 4.3 .20 -.52 -1.37 -2.35 2231 -22 Mankato 85 42 62.8 3.3 .08 -.61 -1.62 -5.29 2252 -95 SE DIST 9 Winnebago 84 42 63.6 3.0 .22 -.35 -1.29 -3.69 2380 4 La Crosse 83 50 66.6 4.7 0 -.78 -2.94 -.83 2415 -127 Preston 83 42 62.8 4.0 .10 -.71 -2.16 5.02 2199 28 Red Wing 85 50 65.3 5.6 .31 -.50 -.92 -2.69 2295 -39 Rochester 81 47 65.3 7.1 .01 -.69 -1.64 -1.22 2256 117 Rosemount 81 47 63.6 4.5 .30 -.49 -.87 -4.10 2221 -8 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/