mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending October 16, 2011 Issue MN-CW-41-11 Agricultural Summary Rain fell Wednesday, briefly interrupting several weeks of favorable harvest activity, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. Amounts ranged from 0.8 inch in north central and northeast areas to 0.3 inch in southwestern areas. For many locations this was the greatest rainfall since September 4th. Despite the rain, ground conditions remained hard and dry in areas and tillage was still a concern for producers. As of October 16, topsoil moisture supplies were rated 17 percent very short, 39 percent short, and 44 percent adequate. Average temperatures were 7.1 degrees above normal for the week despite the arrival of cool, windy conditions by week's end. Statewide, 5.7 days were rated suitable for fieldwork. Forty-eight percent of the state's corn was harvested, compared to 43 percent last year and 28 percent for the five-year average. The average moisture content of harvested corn was 15 percent. The sugarbeet harvest advanced 38 percentage points from the previous week to 54 percent complete, compared to 86 percent last year and 73 percent average. The soybean and potato harvests were virtually complete. Soybeans were 96 percent harvested, compared to 94 percent last year and 76 percent average. The average moisture content of harvested soybeans was 10 percent. The potato harvest was 95 percent complete, compared to 97 percent last year and 94 percent average. Sunflowers were 49 percent harvested, compared to 73 percent last year and 35 percent average. Pasture and range condition was rated 9 percent very poor, 19 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 32 percent good, and 3 percent excellent. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 5.7 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 17 39 44 0 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of October 16, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Mature 99 94 100 94 Harvested 48 20 43 28 Moisture Content 15 18 15 21 Soybeans Harvested 96 83 94 76 Moisture Content 10 10 11 13 Sugarbeets Harvested 54 16 86 73 Sunflowers Harvested 49 36 73 35 Potatoes Harvested 95 88 97 94 Crop Condition Table Condition as of October 16, 2011 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 9 19 37 32 3 Corn 4 11 28 45 12 Sugarbeets 5 17 42 31 5 Sunflowers 2 10 53 30 5 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 10/10/2011 through 10/16/2011 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 71 35 52.0 6.0 .58 .14 -.41 -2.51 Itasca 72 39 51.6 8.4 .27 -.33 -1.57 -1.00 Moorhead 75 38 54.1 6.9 .55 .08 -.90 4.28 Warroad 71 35 50.6 6.6 1.33 .91 .73 .21 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 72 35 50.7 5.3 .93 .29 -.28 1.41 Intl. Falls 75 33 50.0 6.7 .67 .22 -.76 -2.48 NE DIST 3 Duluth 72 37 51.8 6.7 .87 .32 -1.30 -.71 Grand Marais 64 40 52.2 6.3 1.10 .50 -.78 -3.05m Hibbing 73 37 49.4 5.7 .44 -.14 -.93 -5.01 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 73 38 53.2 6.2 .42 -.09 -.85 4.94 Browns Valley 79 34 54.5 6.1 .63 .22 -.56 1.81 Canby M M M M M M -1.48m -.98m Montevideo 79 37 55.9 6.9 .61 .16 -.12 1.17 Morris 76 37 54.6 6.7 .41 -.14 -1.06 .91 Wheaton 79 38 55.4 7.3 .68 .24 -.72 3.58 CENT DIST 5 Becker 82 41 56.9 9.1 .64 .15 -1.37 3.26 Collegeville 76 38 56.0 5.5 .43 -.14 -1.40 6.42 Hutchinson 81 39 57.0 8.1 .40 -.03 -.97 5.01m Melrose 76 37 54.8 7.1 .23 -.34 -1.56 1.24 Olivia 81 36 55.9 7.3 .38 -.05 -1.27 -1.16 St. Cloud 73 41 54.3 7.3 .51 -.01 -.74 2.52 Wadena 73 38 53.8 8.4 .47 -.14 -.75 -6.63m Willmar 80 34 55.2 7.1 .26 -.24 -.95 3.63 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 72 39 55.1 9.5 1.04 .47 -.30 2.94 Forest Lake 87 39 60.2 11.0 .70 .13 -1.35 -.82 Hinckley 78 36 55.4 10.4 .48 -.13 -1.32 -1.01m MSP Airport 76 43 57.8 7.4 .68 .21 -1.21 -.35 St. Paul - UofM 82 42 58.2 7.5 .71 .14 -1.40 4.42 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 81 36 57.2 7.7 .23 -.21 -1.39 .29 Marshall 81 38 58.2 8.4 .25 -.19 -1.38 -1.74 Pipestone 78 31 55.0 6.7 .46 -.05 -1.44 4.00 Redwood Falls 76 39 54.8 3.8 .30 -.12 -1.29 -3.05 Worthington 79 36 56.1 7.8 .39 -.05 -1.24 3.38 SC DIST 8 Faribault M M M M M M M -6.42m North Mankato 82 39 56.7 6.1 .72 .17 -1.41 -3.81 Waseca 82 36 56.1 6.8 .37 -.19 -1.65 -1.74 Winnebago 83 39 57.2 6.6 .35 -.20 -1.62 -2.78 SE DIST 9 Preston 81 38 57.1 7.5 .47 -.05 -.40 -4.36 Red Wing 83 42 60.0 10.1 .99 .50 -1.15 -1.00 Rochester 75 39 56.0 7.4 .23 -.26 -1.10 -2.79 Rosemount 83 40 58.2 8.2 .58 .02 -1.71 1.20 Winona 81 46 59.6 9.0 .49 .01 -.41 .81 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/