mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending April 1, 2012 Issue MN-CW-13-12 Agricultural Summary This issue of the Weekly Crop-Weather Report is the first for the 2012 growing season for the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. A mild, dry winter, followed by record-breaking warmth in March, allowed producers to begin planting in central and southern areas of the state. As of April 1,3.9 days were rated suitable for fieldwork statewide. Producers anticipated full scale fieldwork to begin on April 12, 7 days ahead of average. Spring wheat was 3 percent planted, compared to 0 percent last year and 0 percent for the five year average. Oats were 18 percent planted, compared to 0 percent last year and average. Barley was 6 percent planted, compared to 0 percent last year and average. Three percent of land was prepared for corn and 1 percent was prepared for soybeans. Other farm activities included equipment maintenance, fertilizer application, and spring calving. Statewide average temperatures were 10.4 degrees above normal this past week. Rain helped replenish soil moisture which has been lacking since late last summer. Amounts ranged from .69 inch in north central areas to .13 inch in east central areas; however, areas in the southern third of the state continue to be rated as undergoing a severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 12 percent very short, 42 percent short, 43 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 18 percent very short, 50 percent short, and 32 percent adequate. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 3.9 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 12 42 43 3 Subsoil Moisture (%) 18 50 32 0 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of April 1, 2012 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Oats Planted 18 NA 0 0 Spring Wheat Planted 3 NA 0 0 Barley Planted 6 NA 0 0 Corn Land Prepared 3 NA 0 0 Soybeans Land Prepared 1 NA 0 0 Approximated Date to Begin Full- Scale Fieldwork 4/12 NA 4/22 4/19 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 3/26/2012 through 4/1/2012 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 66 25 42.4 10.0 .62 .42 .90 -.03 Itasca 60 25 40.8 10.4 .89 .54 .69 -.04 Moorhead 73 30 48.2 13.4 .32 .02 -.47 -.04 Warroad 65 16 36.4 6.2 .68 .47 1.40 -.03 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 66 25 40.2 6.5 .34 -.04 -.21 -.06 Intl. Falls 59 20 39.1 8.7 1.04 .78 1.85 -.03 NE DIST 3 Duluth 67 27 39.6 8.0 .45 .01 -.12 .10 Grand Marais 49 26 37.8 5.4 .51 .24 .89 -.04 Hibbing 67 18 38.9 8.2 .48 .20 .51 .01 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 69 33 47.0 12.5 .17 -.22 -.29 -.05 Browns Valley 73 32 47.0 11.8 .28 -.18 -.93 -.07 Canby 74 30 49.2 12.5 .22 -.28 -.20 -.08 Montevideo 71 33 48.8 13.2 .28 -.22 -.47 -.07 Morris 65 30 45.5 10.8 .25 -.18 -.43 -.06 Wheaton 70 30 45.4 11.2 .30 -.14 -.89 -.07 CENT DIST 5 Becker 66 34 46.5 8.9 .32 -.21 -.44 -.08 Collegeville 68 32 48.8 11.3 .20 -.32 -.27 -.08 Hutchinson 69 36 49.2 12.0 .14 -.32 -.14 -.07 Melrose 71 30 47.2 12.4 .08 -.40 -.42 -.07 Olivia 67 34 47.2 11.3 1.42 .95 .80 -.07 St. Cloud 67 33 47.7 11.8 .12 -.36 -.43 -.07 Wadena 60 28 42.4 10.0 .61 .17 -.22 -.07 Willmar 63 32 47.0 10.7 .20 -.27 -.15 -.07 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 66 28 42.7 9.4 .22 -.28 -.53 -.08 Forest Lake 71 34 47.4 10.2 0 -.49 -.12 -.08 MSP Airport 68 37 48.7 9.5 .21 -.32 -.51 -.08 Mora 67 31 43.4 8.5 .08 -.37 -.56 -.07 St. Paul - UofM 67 36 46.4 9.2 .14 -.35 -.55 -.08 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 72 35 51.3 14.8 .35 -.18 -.39 -.08 Marshall 78 33 51.0 14.4 .22 -.29 -.54 -.08 Pipestone 81 18 49.6 13.0 .25 -.29 -.38 -.08 Redwood Falls 72 37 52.9 14.9 .24 -.26 -.16 -.07 Worthington 72 35 52.4 15.9 .71 .17 -.12 -.08 SC DIST 8 North Mankato 68 36 50.4 12.5 .42 -.17 -.64 -.09 Owatonna 70 38 48.2 10.7 .49 -.09 -.52 -.09 Waseca 70 38 48.4 10.8 .42 -.26 -.50 -.10 Winnebago 72 38 50.4 12.2 .12 -.48 -.39 -.09 Cannon Falls 70 33 47.6 10.9 .15 -.41 -.30 -.08 SE DIST 9 Preston 75 30 47.3 8.9 1.07 .45 .37 -.10 Red Wing 72 36 47.7 9.8 .37 -.15 -.36 -.08 Rochester 73 36 48.5 9.8 .11 -.48 -.57 -.09 Rosemount 71 35 47.1 9.3 .53 -.08 -.35 -.09 Winona Dam 75 35 49.3 11.0 .43 -.15 -.09 -.09 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/