mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending October 17, 2010 Issue MN-CW-41-10 Agricultural Summary Mild, dry weather prevailed this past week, allowing favorable harvest conditions for the third consecutive week, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. As of October 17, producers have nearly completed the soybean, sugarbeet, and potato harvests. The full scale corn harvest was underway. Seven days were reported suitable for fieldwork, the highest of the year. Other farm activities included fall tillage of soybean stubble and baling of corn stalks and grasses. Temperatures for the week were 5.8 degrees above average statewide, and no measurable precipitation was recorded at reporting stations across the state. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 5 percent short, 86 percent adequate, and 9 percent surplus, compared to 1 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus last week. Corn harvested jumped 30 percentage points from the previous week to 47 percent harvested, compared to 3 percent last year and 26 percent for the five-year average. Moisture content was 15 percent, compared to 18 percent last week. The lack of precipitation allowed corn to dry in the fields, minimizing the need for drying. Soybeans were 96 percent harvested, compared to 33 percent last year and 76 percent average. Moisture content was 11 percent, equal to last week. Sugarbeets harvested jumped 32 percentage points from the previous week to 91 percent harvested, compared to 58 percent last year and 73 percent average. Potatoes were 98 percent harvested, compared to 94 percent last year and average. Sunflowers were 77 percent harvested, compared to 19 percent last year and 28 percent average. Range and pasture was rated 1 percent very poor, 5 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 16 percent excellent. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 7.0 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 0 5 86 9 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of October 17, 2010 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Harvested 47 17 3 26 Corn Moisture Content 15 18 29 22 Soybeans Harvested 96 82 33 76 Soybeans Moisture Content 11 11 15 13 Potatoes Harvested 98 92 94 94 Sunflowers Harvested 77 48 19 28 Sugarbeets Harvested 91 59 58 73 Crop Condition Table Condition as of October 17, 2010 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 1 5 21 57 16 Corn 1 2 9 51 37 Sunflowers 1 3 17 63 16 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 10/11/2010 through 10/17/2010 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 78 28 51.3 5.8 0 -.43 .21 3.79 Itasca 80 29 50.4 7.7 0 -.60 -.33 2.52 Moorhead 78 27 50.5 3.7 0 -.46 .18 4.67 Warroad 76 27 50.0 6.5 .01 -.40 1.06 6.76 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 76 31 50.0 5.0 0 -.64 -1.45 1.69 Intl. Falls 69 28 46.6 3.7 0 -.45 .64 7.04 NE DIST 3 Duluth 62 33 49.0 4.3 0 -.54 -1.36 2.34 Grand Marais 65 31 48.9 3.4 0 -.59 -1.51 -3.46 Hibbing 71 24 46.0 2.7 0 -.57 -1.30 .51 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 79 33 51.5 5.0 0 -.50 -1.54 2.27 Browns Valley 82 28 54.4 6.5 0 -.41 -.54 3.54 Canby 77 35 55.7 5.4 0 -.48 1.49 7.30 Dalton M M M M M M -1.03m 4.57m Montevideo 81 32 54.3 5.8 0 -.45 1.22 7.85 Morris 79 30 53.0 5.6 0 -.55 -1.39 4.10 Wheaton 77 33 54.2 6.5 0 -.43 .47 3.19 CENT DIST 5 Becker 79 35 56.2 8.9 0 -.49 .79 6.40 Collegeville 82 39 56.4 6.3 0 -.57 -1.69 2.25 Hutchinson 79 37 55.8 7.1 0 -.43 2.35 8.94 Melrose 79 26 52.6 5.3 0 -.57 -1.27 5.23 Olivia 80 32 54.2 6.1 0 -.43 1.62 7.02 St. Cloud 80 31 52.0 5.5 0 -.51 -.56 3.99 Staples 79 30 51.8 6.3 0 -.60 -1.67 3.79 Wadena 78 29 52.0 7.1 0 -.60 -1.87 6.25 Willmar 78 31 53.5 5.5 0 -.49 -.20 10.22 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 78 30 52.6 7.4 0 -.57 -1.70 .82 Forest Lake 82 36 57.2 8.5 0 -.57 -.50 2.96 Hinckley 76 29 50.4 5.8 0 -.61 -.98 7.56 MSP Airport 80 40 57.2 7.3 0 -.47 1.56 2.78 St. Paul - UofM 77 40 57.0 6.7 0 -.56 .33 3.14 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 80 33 54.6 5.6 0 -.44 3.99 9.44 Marshall 79 34 55.7 6.4 0 -.44 3.33 15.26 Pipestone 78 30 52.4 4.5 0 -.51 4.00 13.37 Redwood Falls 81 34 53.8 3.3 0 -.42 2.41 7.42 Worthington 78 33 56.2 8.4 0 -.44 4.98 8.85 SC DIST 8 Faribault M M M M 0m -.49m 4.03m 8.15m Mankato M M M M M M 3.21m 6.97m Waseca 81 31 54.6 5.7 0 -.56 5.87 11.27 Winnebago 81 36 57.0 6.9 0 -.55 6.43 10.71 SE DIST 9 Preston 84 30 54.8 5.7 0 -.52 2.21 6.38 Red Wing 80 40 58.4 8.9 0 -.48 2.47 6.74 Rochester 81 36 55.7 7.5 0 -.49 2.67 4.52 Rosemount 79 36 56.4 6.9 0 -.55 1.17 5.66 Winona 81 41 59.7 9.5 0 -.47 2.92 11.09 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) 201-6030 E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/