mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending April 4, 2010 Issue MN-CW-13-10 Agricultural Summary Planting began across parts of central and southern Minnesota as daytime highs reached the 70s and 80s and rainfall was minimal, according to USDA,NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Early spring conditions allowed some producers to begin planting small grains in well-drained areas, ahead of last year and the 5-year average. Mostly sunny skies and moderate southerly winds helped soils dry and allowed some producers to harvest portions of the remaining 2009 corn crop. Other farm activities included:light tillage, fertilizing, and spring calving. Spring wheat planting was 1 percent complete, compared to 0 percent last year and 0 percent for the five year average. Oats and barley planting were 7 and 2 percent complete respectively, both ahead of the five-year average. Precipitation was minimal last week. Topsoil moisture was rated 85 percent adequate to surplus and subsoil moisture was rated 90 percent adequate to surplus. Pastures are greening aided by adequate moisture and warmer temperatures. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 3.0 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 6 9 64 21 Subsoil Moisture (%) 4 6 71 19 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of April 4, 2010 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Spring Wheat Planted 1 NA 0 0 Barley Planted 2 NA 0 0 Oats Planted 7 NA 0 0 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 3/29/2010 through 4/4/2010 Temperature Precipitation High Low Week Depart Week Depart From Norm Ave from Total Past Four Since Norm Week Weeks 4/1 NW DIST 1 Crookston 67 27 47.8 14.4 0 -.22 .59 -.13 Itasca 69 28 48.2 17.7 .09 -.27 -.27 -.12 Moorhead 68 32 50.8 15.1 0 -.28 .18 -.16 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 73 28 48.8 14.8 .02 -.34 -.45 -.19 Intl. Falls 72 23 47.2 15.5 .10 -.16 -.24 -.05 Duluth 71 27 48.1 15.8 .33 -.12 -.38 .07 NE DIST 3 Grand Marais 67 28 43.8 10.5 .02 -.25 -.19 -.13 Hibbing 74 19 46.4 14.0 .35 .06 .26 .18 Alexandria 72 32 51.0 15.9 .09 -.31 -.54 -.14 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 72 32 51.0 15.9 .09 -.31 -.54 -.14 Browns Valley 72 26 49.0 12.1 0 -.45 -.01 -.26 Canby 76 26 50.8 12.3 0 -.49 -.61 -.28 Dalton 74 24 49.5 13.6 .09 -.27 -.45 -.11 Montevideo 73 27 50.4 13.3 0 -.46 -.24 -.26 Morris 70 27 49.0 12.6 .01 -.41 -.06 -.23 Wheaton 74 27 49.7 14.1 0 -.43 -.33 -.25 CENT DIST 5 Becker 78 29 53.4 16.1 .03 -.48 -.32 -.26 Collegeville 73 29 53.8 15.5 .04 -.42 -.22 -.22 Hutchinson 77 30 53.2 15.4 0 -.46 -.07 -.27 Melrose 72 26 50.6 15.2 .03 -.42 -.75 -.23 Olivia 78 27 50.4 13.3 0 -.48 -.37 -.28 St. Cloud 77 27 52.8 16.5 .02 -.42 -.31 -.24 Staples 72 28 50.6 16.1 0 -.43 -.43 -.25 Wadena 71 24 48.6 15.4 .14 -.29 -.47 -.11 EC DIST 6 Forest Lake 81 28 52.9 15.9 .34 -.13 -.21 .07 Hinckley 74 26 50.2 15.8 .19 -.29 -.38 -.08 MSP Airport 81 32 55.8 16.1 .14 -.36 -1.01 -.15 St. Paul - UofM 79 32 53.8 14.6 .13 -.40 -1.10 -.18 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 78 28 52.6 14.5 .02 -.53 -.48 -.30 Marshall 77 28 51.5 13.5 0 -.51 -.68 -.29 Pipestone 77 28 51.0 13.3 0 -.50 -1.30 -.29 Redwood Falls 78 29 54.6 14.8 0 -.51 -.12 -.30 Worthington 79 27 52.0 15.4 .02 -.55 -.95 -.32 SC DIST 8 Faribault 82 23 52.2 14.9 .10 -.47 -1.09 -.23 Mankato 84 28 53.8 14.9 .04 -.62 -.55 -.34 Waseca 84 26 53.8 15.9 .08 -.61 -1.24 -.32 Winnebago 85 29 54.4 15.5 .05 -.53 -.11 -.29 SE DIST 9 Red Wing 82 32 53.9 15.1 .35 -.18 -.92 .04 Rochester 83 26 55.8 17.7 .39 -.21 -.51 .04 Rosemount 80 28 53.1 14.7 .15 -.46 -1.14 -.20 Winona 82 30 54.6 15.3 .30 -.33 -1.25 -.07 m=some data missing 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/