mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending October 2, 2011 Issue MN-CW-39-11 Agricultural Summary Warm, dry conditions allowed producers to make rapid progress harvesting soybeans this past week, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. As of October 2, soybeans harvested advanced 32 percentage points to 35 percent complete, compared to 26 percent last year and 29 percent for the five-year average. Average moisture content for harvested soybeans was 13 percent, equal to last year and average. The potato harvest advanced 25 points to 73 percent harvested, nearly equal to last year and average. The dry bean harvest advanced 27 points to 77 percent harvested, compared to 82 percent last year and 77 percent average. The sugarbeet harvest was 13 percent complete, compared to 31 percent last year and 25 percent average. The sunflower harvest was underway at 8 percent complete, compared to 21 percent last year and 10 percent average. Corn chopped for silage was virtually complete at 96 percent. Corn was 80 percent mature, compared to 90 percent last year and 73 percent average. The corn harvest advanced to 6 percent complete, compared to 4 percent last year and 6 percent average. Average moisture content for harvested corn was 23 percent. Precipitation shortfalls continued despite light rain that fell Monday evening into Tuesday across the eastern third of the state. Temperatures were 2.4 degrees above normal. Topsoil moisture supply ratings declined to 19 percent very short, 35 percent short, and 46 percent adequate. Statewide, 6.6 days were rated suitable for fieldwork, second this season only to the week of September 11 which averaged 6.8 days suitable. Pasture condition was rated 9 percent very poor, 19 percent poor, 35 percent fair, 32 percent good, and 5 percent excellent, falling slightly from the previous week. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 6.6 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 19 35 46 0 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of October 2, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Mature 80 52 90 73 Harvested 6 2 4 6 Moisture Content 23 NA 22 26 Corn Silage Harvested 96 82 96 90 Soybeans Turning Yellow 98 91 100 100 Dropping Leaves 94 74 96 95 Mature 81 36 84 80 Harvested 35 3 26 29 Moisture Content 13 NA 13 13 Sugarbeets Harvested 13 4 31 25 Sunflowers Harvested 8 NA 21 10 Dry Beans Dropping Leaves 99 87 100 NA Harvested 77 50 82 77 Potatoes Harvested 73 48 74 73 Crop Condition Table Condition as of October 2, 2011 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 9 19 35 32 5 Soybeans 3 12 33 43 9 Corn 4 11 29 47 9 Sugarbeets 8 18 36 33 5 Sunflowers 2 11 48 35 4 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 9/26/2011 through 10/2/2011 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 17 Norm NW DIST 1 Crookston 85 32 56.4 4.6 0 -.47 -1.04 -2.19 2231 106 Itasca 81 36 54.2 5.8 .11 -.54 -2.09 -.13 1895m 155m Moorhead 90 34 59.8 6.9 0 -.49 -1.79 4.36 2460 230 Warroad 80 36 54.4 5.2 .04 -.49 -.81 -.24 1860 10 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 80 29 54.0 3.6 .06 -.63 -2.03 .91 2040 183 Intl. Falls 82 25 51.6 3.2 .02 -.59 -1.60 -2.23 1847 122 NE DIST 3 Duluth 75 31 54.6 4.4 .30 -.49 -2.50 -.51 1818 156 Grand Marais 73 34 52.5 1.8 .08 -.65 -1.51 -2.91m 1114m-216m Hibbing 78 21 50.8 1.9 .32 -.37 -1.81 -4.65 1788 94 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 82 38 59.0 6.2 .01 -.55 -1.59 5.09 2286 141 Browns Valley 92 34 56.7 2.3 0 -.40 -1.35 1.90 2337 -35 Canby 89 34 55.8 -.8 0 -.52 -2.00 -.40 2513 5 Montevideo 86 37 56.8 1.8 0 -.47 -1.74 .53 2440 66 Morris 87 38 56.5 2.7 0 -.50 -1.56 1.36 2298 2 Wheaton 85 38 57.5 3.5 0 -.46 -1.52 3.77 2374 27 CENT DIST 5 Becker 81 31 55.5 2.3 0 -.60 -2.24 3.59 2430 266 Collegeville 83 36 60.5 4.3 0 -.65 -2.29 6.77 2589 170 Hutchinson 82 34 56.8 2.0 0 -.44 -1.74 5.35m 2486 130 Melrose 82 36 55.6 2.0 0 -.60 -2.11 1.93 2302 21 Olivia 82 32 55.5 1.2 0 -.53 -2.18 -.98 2394 76 St. Cloud 82 31 57.9 5.4 0 -.58 -2.05 2.25 2369 260 Wadena 83 36 54.6 3.8 .02 -.58 -1.61 -6.46m 1385m-528m Willmar 83 37 55.5 1.7 0 -.56 -1.80 4.07 2317 83 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 77 32 53.5 2.8 .33 -.29 -1.80 2.85 2219 413 Forest Lake 82 35 56.7 2.2 .17 -.48 -2.49 -.34 2469 196 Hinckley 78 28 52.9 2.5 .07 -.61 -2.29 -.40m 1904m 12m MSP Airport 81 38 60.0 3.9 .05 -.47 -2.05 -.07 2784 297 St. Paul - UofM 78 35 56.4 .0 .07 -.57 -2.47 4.87 2504 53 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 88 32 56.6 1.3 0 -.51 -2.26 .65 2557 142 Marshall 88 35 57.5 1.7 0 -.47 -1.87 -1.33 2527 50 Pipestone 86 31 55.2 1.0 0 -.59 -2.36 4.23 2347 20 Redwood Falls 85 33 60.3 3.5 0 -.48 -2.10 -2.75 2633 70 Worthington 85 32 56.4 2.2 0 -.50 -2.09 3.74 2423 152 SC DIST 8 Faribault M M M M M M M -5.38m 613m -1705m North Mankato 80 35 55.6 -.5 0 -.61 -2.35 -3.40 2452 32 Waseca 80 34 55.9 .6 .11 -.51 -2.21 -.97 2518 160 Winnebago 84 32 56.8 .3 .01 -.53 -1.85 -2.03 2610 161 SE DIST 9 Preston 71 29 53.9 -1.1 .86 .19 -1.49 -3.73 2444 205 Red Wing 77 34 56.0 .3 .12 -.55 -2.64 -.94 2601 198 Rochester 76 32 56.0 1.8 .66 .07 -1.53 -2.00 2432 231 Rosemount 79 34 56.8 1.4 .15 -.52 -2.65 1.78 2526 230 Winona 65 36 54.6 -1.6 1.09 .44 -1.44 1.35 2509m 65m 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) 201-6030 E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/