mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending May 8, 2011 Issue MN-CW-18-11 Agricultural Summary Minnesota producers exploited a small break in the cold, wet weather pattern and made planting progress, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. As of May 8, spring wheat advanced to 18 percent planted, compared to 98 percent last year, and 60 percent for the five- year average. Corn was 28 percent planted, compared to 93 percent last year and 65 percent average. Other planting activity included potatoes at 40 percent planted, soybeans at 2 percent planted, barley at 9 percent planted, and oats at 37 percent planted. Planting for these crops was behind average and ranged from 16 points behind for soybeans to 49 points behind for barley. Statewide, 3.6 days were rated suitable for fieldwork. Some reporters noted that planting conditions were highly variable depending on the soil type and field location. Producers planted where they could, but were hindered by frequent rain, cooler than average temperatures, and saturated soils. The statewide average temperature during the week was almost 48 degrees, warmer than previous weeks but still 4.2 degrees below average. High temperatures reached the mid 70s while the coldest temperatures fell below freezing. A sunny start to the week gave way to a weather system that moved in Wednesday night into Thursday morning and dropped heavy rain at times over parts of central Minnesota. A series of weak disturbances over the weekend produced occasional showers across the state. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 60 percent adequate and 40 percent surplus compared to 56 percent adequate and 44 percent surplus during the previous week. Pasture condition was rated 2 percent very poor, 6 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 52 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Some areas along the Minnesota River are still under flood warning. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 3.6 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 0 0 60 40 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of May 8, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Land Prepared 41 4 99 75 Planted 28 1 93 65 Soybeans Land Prepared 5 1 63 33 Planted 2 0 37 18 Oats Planted 37 9 98 77 Emerged 4 0 78 43 Spring Wheat Planted 18 3 98 60 Emerged 1 0 84 29 Barley Planted 9 3 98 58 Emerged 2 0 82 28 Canola Planted 3 NA 86 27 Green Peas Planted 17 NA 79 57 Sweet Corn Planted 3 NA 27 19 Dry Beans Planted 0 NA 3 3 Potatoes Planted 40 NA 76 60 Sunflowers Planted 0 NA 26 10 Sugarbeets Planted 17 2 100 68 Crop Condition Table Condition as of May 8, 2011 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 2 6 28 52 12 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 5/2/2011 through 5/8/2011 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 70 24 48.2 -3.8 .22 -.22 -.06 .48 Itasca 66 23 43.4 -4.5 .08 -.43 1.50 1.29 Moorhead 72 27 52.6 -.6 .29 -.18 .04 .41 Warroad 65 24 46.0 -2.0 .04 -.38 .88 1.93 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 68 25 48.0 -2.2 .72 .19 1.28 1.47 Intl. Falls 65 24 45.6 -3.5 0 -.44 .31 1.91 NE DIST 3 Duluth 63 27 45.6 -2.3 .37 -.19 1.03 1.43 Grand Marais 56 26 41.0 -3.5 .23 -.22 .44 .70 Hibbing 69 24 43.8 -4.8 .49 .03 1.23 1.34 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 67 30 50.4 -1.7 .73 .18 -.22 -.31 Browns Valley 74 25 48.4 -5.6 .17 -.31 -.33 -.93 Canby 73 30 50.7 -3.9 .05 -.52 -.39 -.82 Montevideo 74 27 49.3 -4.5 .85 .24 -.10 -.16 Morris 70 27 47.5 -6.1 .51 -.04 -.30 -.81 Wheaton 74 28 49.9 -3.3 .03 -.45 -.61 -.99 CENT DIST 5 Becker 70 29 47.4 -5.8 1.01 .33 .64 1.35 Collegeville 72 29 52.4 -2.6 .98 .33 .85 .59 Hutchinson 71 28 48.4 -5.6 .64 .06 1.01 1.75 Melrose 69 28 48.1 -4.7 .96 .34 .74 .44 Olivia 71 27 48.0 -5.8 .63 .03 .19 .35 St. Cloud 71 26 50.0 -2.6 .92 .37 .34 .33 Wadena 67 26 46.4 -4.2 .10 -.46 .00 -.06 Willmar 71 25 46.2 -6.5 .77 .20 .57 .82 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 68 27 44.0 -5.7 .97 .38 1.47 1.58 Forest Lake 74 28 47.6 -5.9 .46 -.22 .08 .29 Hinckley 69 25 43.2 -6.8 .69 .03 .52 .59 MSP Airport 72 32 52.4 -2.8 .33 -.30 .64 .11 St. Paul - UofM 69 30 48.5 -6.3 .21 -.50 .44 .14 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 74 29 50.7 -3.6 .27 -.42 -.26 -.64 Marshall 74 24 47.8 -6.7 .47 -.16 -.17 -.00 Pipestone 72 26 50.0 -3.5 .50 -.17 -.06 .44 Redwood Falls 73 28 52.5 -3.5 .78 .15 .21 1.50 Worthington 74 26 49.9 -2.8 .04 -.63 -.33 -.21 SC DIST 8 Faribault 71 24 46.3 -6.7 .14 -.64 -.04 .44 North Mankato 71 30 47.8 -7.0 .08 -.61 -.63 -.90 Waseca 71 26 48.0 -6.0 .02 -.83 -.64 .30 Winnebago 74 30 51.6 -3.0 .01 -.80 .02 -.14 SE DIST 9 Preston 70 25 46.6 -6.1 .01 -.82 -.17 .38 Red Wing 72 32 48.6 -5.8 .06 -.67 -.28 -.77 Rochester 71 29 50.7 -2.2 .01 -.76 -.48 .15 Rosemount 70 29 48.6 -4.9 .20 -.61 .71m .08m Winona 71 33 48.6 -5.8 0 -.84 -.75 -.05 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/