mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending July 17, 2011 Issue MN-CW-28-11 Agricultural Summary Intermittent rain and thunderstorms rolled across the state this past week and ended the longest stretch of dry weather so far this summer, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. For the week ending July 17, 3.8 days were rated suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated surplus were 31 percent, up from 21 percent the previous week. Warm weather helped advance crop development and maturity. Reporters in west central areas noted areas of green snap that occurred in corn from high winds early Monday morning. Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms, accompanied by excessive heat and humidity, prevailed late in the week. Heavy rainfall prompted flash flood warnings from the National Weather Service for areas of the Minnesota and Sauk Rivers. Corn height averaged 55 inches, and corn silking was underway at 11 percent, 25 percentage points behind average. Corn condition declined slightly from the previous week with 24 percent rated fair, 54 percent rated good and 14 percent rated excellent. Soybean height averaged 14 inches. Soybeans were 33 percent blooming, compared to 59 percent last year and 54 percent average. Two percent of soybeans were setting pods, five points behind average. Soybean condition was rated 26 percent fair, 53 percent good, and 13 percent excellent, nearly equal to the previous week. Small grains were turning ripe with 10 percent of spring wheat, 21 percent of oats, and 19 percent of barley turning ripe, respectively. All small grains turning ripe were behind average pace. Pasture condition was rated 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 11 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 26 percent excellent. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 3.8 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 0 1 68 31 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of July 17, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Height (Inches) 55 39 71 66 Silking 11 0 53 36 Soybeans Height (Inches) 14 10 21 19 Blooming 33 16 59 54 Setting Pods 2 NA 6 7 Oats Jointing 98 94 100 100 Headed 91 69 100 96 Turning Ripe 21 5 75 59 Spring Wheat Headed 92 69 99 92 Turning Ripe 10 2 62 38 Barley Jointing 99 95 100 99 Headed 86 61 99 91 Turning Ripe 19 0 65 43 Dry Beans Blooming 22 5 NA NA Crop Condition Table Condition as of July 17, 2011 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 1 2 11 60 26 Soybeans 2 6 26 53 13 Corn 2 6 24 54 14 Oats 1 4 21 63 11 Barley 1 2 16 62 19 Spring Wheat 2 6 22 53 17 Sugarbeets 2 9 29 45 15 Potatoes 1 1 11 54 33 Canola 0 6 44 48 2 Dry Beans 1 7 22 51 19 Sunflowers 1 5 41 44 9 Due to the Minnesota state budget impasse, we are unable to publish weather and precipitation information from the Minnesota State Climatology Office. Most functions and access to data from the Climate Working Group web site (climate.umn.edu) are suspended until the state budget is resolved. 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/