mn-crop-weather State Minnesota Weekly Crop-Weather Week Ending Date Week Ending September 23, 2012 Issue MN-CW-38-12 Agricultural Summary Producers continued to make rapid progress on the soybean harvest, well ahead of the five-year average pace, according to the USDA, NASS, Minnesota Field Office. As of September 23, soybeans harvested advanced 29 percentage points from the previous week to reach 45 percent complete, compared to 5 percent complete for the five-year average. The average moisture content of harvested soybeans was 11 percent. Soybean conditions were rated 3 percent very poor, 8 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 48 percent good, and 12 percent excellent. Statewide, 6.7 days were rated suitable for fieldwork during the week. Corn harvested advanced 18 points from the previous week to reach 30 percent harvested, compared to 2 percent average. The average moisture content of harvested corn was 19 percent. Other harvest activities included dry beans at 87 percent, potatoes at 71 percent, sugarbeets at 15 percent, and sunflowers at 18 percent complete. The sweet corn harvest was nearly complete at 97 percent harvested. The statewide average temperature was 6.7 degrees below normal. At many locations, overnight temperatures dropped to near freezing or below during the week. Precipitation amounts varied, with several reporting stations recording over one half of an inch in northeastern and southwestern parts of the state. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 33 percent very short, 45 percent short, and 22 percent adequate. Range and pasture conditions were rated 27 percent very poor, 28 percent poor, 28 percent fair, 16 percent good, and 1 percent excellent. Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 6.7 Soil Moisture Table Very Short Short Adequate Surplus Topsoil Moisture (%) 33 45 22 0 Crop Progress Table Crop Progress as of September 23, 2012 Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr Crop Development Week Week Year Avg Percent Corn Mature 94 80 45 46 Corn Harvested 30 12 1 2 Corn Moisture Content 19 21 NA NA Soybeans Dropping Leaves 96 84 65 73 Soybeans Mature 88 57 28 39 Soybeans Harvested 45 16 2 5 Soybeans Moisture Content 11 12 NA NA Sweet Corn Harvested 97 93 95 92 Potatoes Harvested 71 50 45 50 Sugarbeets Harvested 15 12 4 9 Sunflowers Harvested 18 1 0 2 Dry Beans Harvested 87 72 45 51 Crop Condition Table Condition as of September 23, 2012 in % Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc Pasture 27 28 28 16 1 Sugarbeets 1 2 19 63 15 Sunflowers 1 2 15 60 22 Corn 4 11 30 45 10 Soybeans 3 8 29 48 12 Weather Information Table Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 9/17/2012 through 9/23/2012 Temperature Precipitation G D D High Low Week Depart Week Depart From Norm Since Depart Ave from Total Past Four Since Apr from Norm Week Weeks 4/1 30 Norm NW DIST 1 Crookston 65 25 48.4 -7.0 0 -.54 -2.29 -5.86 2487 349 Itasca M M M M M M -2.87m -2.68m 1778m -68m Moorhead 68 25 49.2 -8.1 .02 -.58 -2.29 -4.85 2662 323 Warroad 60 16 40.4 -13.1 .44 -.20 -2.11 -1.33 1958 82 NC DIST 2 Grand Rapids 62 28 47.0 -7.7 .41 -.37 -2.62 7.19 2222 220 Intl. Falls 60 20 43.0 -8.9 .63 -.08 -1.95 -1.44 1964 251 NE DIST 3 Duluth 67 33 47.6 -6.4 .53 -.44 -3.01 5.07 2155 416 Grand Marais 64 38 49.8 -4.6 .41 -.31 -2.09 2.04 1636 239 Hibbing 61 22 44.5 -7.0 .50 -.23 -2.12 3.23 1942 356 WC DIST 4 Alexandria 67 32 49.6 -7.5 .01 -.64 -2.56 -.79 2547 290 Breckenridge 75 28 51.0 -5.9 .34 -.41 -2.50 -3.12 2559 260 Browns Valley 73 23 51.0 -6.5 .15 -.46 -2.14 -4.50 2521 194 Canby 76 32 53.4 -6.0 .18 -.53 -2.31 -4.02 2699 199 Montevideo 82 26 51.3 -7.1 .16 -.60 -2.87 -1.54 2677 272 Morris 76 27 50.2 -7.2 .02 -.65 -2.54 -4.44 2529 241 Wheaton 73 33 50.8 -6.7 0 -.73 -2.52 -1.02 2555 185 CENT DIST 5 Becker 79 31 53.6 -4.9 .16 -.77 -3.57 .49 2681 313 Collegeville 69 34 53.1 -6.5 .02 -.78 -3.32 -.37 2719 224 Hutchinson 79 30 53.0 -6.0 .46 -.21 -2.70 2.08 2745 302 Melrose 77 30 51.3 -5.3 0 -.74 -2.78 -.34 2517 317 Olivia 80 27 52.8 -5.1 .40 -.35 -2.61 -2.91 2648 266 St. Cloud 73 30 51.2 -5.8 .15 -.64 -3.09 -.75 2629 389 Wadena 75 27 48.6 -6.2 .33 -.34 -2.28 3.69 2261 288 Willmar 78 28 51.2 -7.5 .05 -.70 -3.19 -3.56 2609 165 EC DIST 6 Aitkin 65 28 48.2 -6.6 .33 -.46 -2.45m 12.08m 1937m 7m Forest Lake 81 31 54.3 -4.5 .26 -.56 -2.99 2.19 2725 292 MSP Airport 76 36 54.2 -6.2 .19 -.48 -2.80 1.49 3005 393 Mora 78 28 51.5 -4.5 .29 -.52 -2.68 2.66 2433 298 St. Paul - UofM 78 33 54.0 -4.8 .30 -.52 -2.96 -.99 2800 367 SW DIST 7 Lamberton 83 29 53.4 -5.6 .55 -.21 -2.13 -1.29 2766 309 Marshall 82 32 54.4 -4.9 .52 -.19 -1.95m -2.13m 2925 417 Pipestone 83 23 51.3 -6.9 .53 -.23 -1.95 1.38 2675 298 Redwood Falls 74 30 52.6 -7.0 .40 -.28 -2.33 -.57 2869 332 Worthington 81 29 53.4 -5.4 .11 -.62 -2.80 -4.88 2740 342 SC DIST 8 North Mankato 81 30 53.7 -5.7 .02 -.69 -2.50 -8.42 2775 284 Owatonna 80 23 52.4 -7.4 .15 -.67 -2.84 -.59 2805 338 Waseca 81 24 51.2 -8.6 .22 -.59 -2.73 -6.93 2738 228 Winnebago 81 31 54.1 -5.8 .22 -.52 -2.53 -3.73 2847 328 SE DIST 9 Cannon Falls 72 34 52.3 -6.0 .12 -.63 -2.76m 7.16m 1570m -788m Preston 78 26 52.5 -6.5 .15 -.68 -1.86 -6.79 2676 328 Red Wing 80 33 54.5 -5.6 .09 -.74 -3.09 5.70 2821 322 Rochester 76 32 52.3 -7.1 .18 -.58 -2.18 -6.13 2790 365 Rosemount 80 32 54.4 -4.9 .17 -.63 -2.99 1.79 2743 326 Winona Dam 83 36 54.6 -5.5 .12 -.69 -2.01 -6.01 2794 335 m=some missing data 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/