mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending October 23, 2011 Issue MN-CW-42-11 Agricultural Summary Warm, dry weather continued this past week and allowed producers to make significant harvest progress, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. As of October 23, the sugarbeet harvest advanced 41 percentage points from the previous week to 95 percent complete, compared to 98 percent last year and 86 percent for the five-year average. The corn harvest advanced 31 points to 79 percent complete, compared to 73 percent last year and 43 percent average. The average moisture content of harvested corn was 15 percent. The sunflower harvest advanced 24 points to 73 percent complete, compared to 89 percent last year and 47 percent average. Precipitation was observed at most reporting stations, though amounts were light. Northeastern areas reported the most precipitation at .20 inch, while central and southern areas received .07 inch or less. Dry, hard packed soils remain a challenge for fall tillage, leaving some producers hoping for rain. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 19 percent very short, 41 percent short, and 40 percent adequate, a slight decline from the previous week. Temperatures were seasonably cool and were nearly 2 degrees below normal for the week. Statewide, 6.6 days were rated suitable for fieldwork. Pasture and range condition was rated 10 percent very poor, 19 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 31 percent good, and 3 percent excellent, nearly equal to 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 41 40 0 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of October 23, 2011 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Harvested 79 48 73 43 Moisture Content 15 15 14 20 Sugarbeets Harvested 95 54 98 86 Sunflowers Harvested 73 49 89 47 Potatoes Harvested 98 95 100 98 Crop Condition Table Condition as of October 23, 2011 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 10 19 37 31 3 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 10/17/2011 through 10/23/2011 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 62 22 40.3 -1.9 .01 -.39 -1.18 -2.90 Itasca 58 22 39.8 -.0 .14 -.42 -1.82 -1.42 Moorhead 65 22 43.3 -.3 .06 -.38 -.95 3.90 Warroad 58 28 39.0 -1.5 .02 -.35 -.40 -.15 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 60 23 41.0 -1.2 .08 -.52 -.66 .88 Intl. Falls 58 19 39.0 -1.1 .19 -.22 -1.05 -2.70 NE DIST 3 Duluth 56 24 41.6 -.4 .35 -.14 -.83 -.85 Grand Marais 56 29 42.6 -.6 .07 -.48 -1.27 -3.53m Hibbing 58 16 38.6 -1.8 .18 -.34 -1.07 -5.35 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 59 29 43.1 -.4 .12 -.35 -1.05 4.59 Browns Valley 66 22 43.0 -1.9 0 -.40 -.90 1.41 Canby 68 25 43.8 -3.5 0 -.47 -1.20 -1.07 Montevideo 63 24 42.3 -3.1 .05 -.39 -.21 .78 Morris 61 24 41.1 -3.2 .08 -.45 -1.40 .46 Wheaton 65 24 41.8 -2.8 0 -.41 -1.07 3.17 CENT DIST 5 Becker 63 27 44.8 .3 .06 -.41 -1.33 2.85 Collegeville 64 29 45.4 -1.6 .10 -.44 -1.44 5.98 Hutchinson 65 27 44.0 -1.5 .03 -.40 -1.17 4.61m Melrose 59 26 41.6 -2.7 .15 -.39 -1.68 .85 Olivia 69 26 43.0 -2.1 0 -.40 -1.12 -1.56 St. Cloud 62 24 42.4 -1.2 .09 -.40 -.70 2.13 Wadena 59 23 41.0 -1.0 .05 -.53 -1.28 -7.16m Willmar 63 25 41.8 -2.9 .04 -.43 -1.44 3.20 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 61 25 42.8 .3 .13 -.42 -1.03 2.10 Forest Lake 65 29 47.4 1.5 .01 -.54 -1.49 -1.35 Hinckley 59 22 41.4 -.6 .02 -.57 -1.78 -1.58m MSP Airport 61 32 47.2 .2 .01 -.46 -1.20 -.81 St. Paul - UofM 60 29 45.2 -2.2 .05 -.50 -1.52 3.92 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 68 24 42.4 -3.7 0 -.42 -1.29 -.13 Marshall 67 25 43.5 -2.7 0 -.43 -1.32 -2.18 Pipestone 65 19 39.4 -5.5 .13 -.35 -1.17 3.65 Redwood Falls 69 25 44.4 -3.1 .04 -.37 -1.14 -3.42 Worthington 64 23 42.0 -2.9 .01 -.42 -1.28 2.96 SC DIST 8 Faribault M M M M M M M -6.90m North Mankato 65 27 43.4 -3.9 .08 -.46 -1.48 -4.27 Waseca 62 22 42.0 -3.9 .07 -.48 -1.76 -2.22 Winnebago 67 25 44.0 -3.2 .01 -.53 -1.80 -3.31 SE DIST 9 Preston 62 22 45.0 -1.4 .02 -.47 -.91 -4.84 Red Wing 62 27 45.1 -1.5 .08 -.36 -.97 -1.36 Rochester 68 29 45.2 -.1 .05 -.42 -1.15 -3.21 Rosemount 62 29 45.3 -1.3 .09m -.45m-1.56m .74m Winona 60 32 46.2 -1.2 .05 -.41 -.50 .40 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/