mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending September 28, 2008 Issue MN-CW-39-08 Agricultural Summary Minnesota's sweet corn harvest was nearly complete, and corn silage and canola harvests were progressing well, according to USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Corn and soybean crops were nearly half mature. Statewide topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday, September 26th were 8 percent very short, 20 short, 65 adequate, and 7 surplus. Statewide, on average, there were 5.4 days suitable for fieldwork during the week. Field Crops Summary As of Sunday, September 28th, 97 percent of corn had reached the dent stage compared to 100 percent last year, and 97 percent for the five- year average. Forty-one percent of the corn was mature, compared to 93 percent last year, and 72 percent average. Soybeans were 98 percent turning yellow compared to 100 percent last year and 98 percent average. Eighty-six percent of soybeans were dropping leaves compared to 98 percent last year and 89 percent average. Forty-four percent of the soybeans were mature, compared to 91 percent last year and 69 percent average. As of Friday, September 26th, 65 percent of corn and 60 percent of soybeans were rated in good or excellent condition. Seventy-one percent of sunflowers, 75 percent of sugarbeets, and 37 percent of pasture were rated in good or excellent condition. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 5.4 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 8 20 65 7 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of September 28, 2008 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Dent 97 95 100 97 Mature 41 18 93 72 Harvested 1 0 13 6 Corn Silage Harvested 80 62 94 82 Soybeans Turning Yellow 98 92 100 98 Dropping Leaves 86 53 98 89 Mature 44 8 91 69 Harvested 8 1 32 22 Moisture 13 12 13 14 Sugarbeets Harvested 9 6 14 12 Potatoes Harvested 56 44 68 64 Sweet Corn Harvested 91 83 100 96 Canola Harvested 85 78 100 95 Dry Beans Harvested 69 48 64 62 Crop Condition Table Crop Condition as of September 26, 2008 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Corn 4 8 23 54 11 Soybeans 3 8 29 51 9 Potatoes 0 1 5 58 36 Sugarbeets 1 2 22 49 26 Sunflowers 0 2 27 59 12 Pasture 7 16 40 36 1 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 9/22/2008 through 9/28/2008 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 79 37 59.8 6.6 .40 -.08 2.44 .82 1975 -156 Moorhead 81 40 61.8 7.5 .40 -.09 3.03 6.52 2198 -37 Warroad 74 39 55.9 5.4 .87 .30 1.60 2.84 1717 -138 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 78 42 59.9 8.3 2.50 1.80 1.28 .15 1919 58 Intl. Falls 75 34 55.0 5.3 .66 .01 1.33 1.94 1557 -174 Itasca 77 37 59.6 9.9 .24 -.42 .85 1.68 1780 35 NE DIST 3 Duluth 79 44 58.0 6.5 2.29 1.42 .23 1.77 1635 -26 Grand Marais 71 47 57.9 5.9 2.82 2.06 .61 6.98 1215 -105 Hibbing 78 32 56.2 6.0 1.80 1.08 .01 -1.21 1612 -85 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 86 48 63.2 9.0 1.21 .64 .39 -1.39 2146 -2 Browns Valley 84 41 63.2 7.2 .53 .13 1.59 3.27 2262 -112 Canby 89 46 65.4 7.4 .25 -.28 -1.33 -2.97 2452 -55 Dalton 86 46 64.6 9.1 1.34 .87 .78m 1.12m 2208m -15m Fergus Falls 80 40 61.4 7.2 .52 .05 1.01 .45 2150 -26 Montevideo 90 43 66.2 9.7 .40 -.08 .68 -2.88 2334 -40 Morris 88 45 64.1 8.7 .60 .12 .77 -1.91 2178 -121 CENT DIST 5 Becker 84 45 63.8 9.3 .76 .12 2.07 -.78 2313 146 Collegeville 85 47 65.4 7.8 1.12 .44 -.34 .68 2392 -27 Hutchinson 85 47 65.6 8.9 .16 -.29 .41 -1.11 2367 -19 Olivia 86 42 64.2 8.5 0 -.57 .28 .19 2225 -95 St. Cloud 84 42 61.8 7.8 .77 .17 .54 .21 2189 77 Staples 82 43 62.8 10.1 .85 .25 .29 -2.32 1921 7 Willmar 86 45 64.6 8.7 .31 -.27 -.03 -3.58 2322 2 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 82 51 64.4 12.4 1.05 .42 -.09 -2.14 1958 150 Forest Lake 85 49 65.5 9.6 .81 .13 -.61 -1.71 2330 57 Hinckley 80 44 60.0 8.2 2.08 1.38 3.45 6.35m 1768 -127 MSP Airport 84 50 66.0 8.5 .67 .13 -.76 -4.92 2653 167 St. Paul - UofM 84 47 66.3 7.2 .61 -.05 -1.15 -7.14 2594 31 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 88 43 66.0 9.2 .03 -.51 -.65 -3.76 2425 8 Pipestone 87 38 64.8 9.1 .10 -.51 -1.23 -2.17 2237 -91 Redwood Falls 88 46 66.4 8.1 .35 -.15 .08 -2.24 2460 -103 Worthington 84 44 65.2 9.5 .74 .22 -.36 .68 2366 95 SC DIST 8 Faribault 84 49 66.8 10.6 .34 -.30 -1.87 -2.65 2350 33 Mankato 86 50 67.1 10.1 .43 -.20 -1.82 -5.49 2373 -41 Waseca 84 47 65.8 9.0 .28 -.37 -1.83 -2.60 2341 -17 Winnebago 86 49 67.6 9.6 .28 -.26 -1.39 -3.96 2505 58 SE DIST 9 Preston 83 42 66.1 9.7 .20 -.52 -2.29 4.50 2319 84 Red Wing 85 48 66.1 8.9 .35 -.38 -1.86 -3.07 2410 8 Rochester 82 50 66.2 10.5 1.07 .44 -1.49 -.78 2371 171 Rosemount 83 49 64.9 8.1 .92 .20 -1.11 -3.90 2327 33 Winona 82 48 66.3 8.6 .06 -.65 -2.24 .96 2312 -129 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/