Released: April 18, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending April 17, 2005 SD-CW1605 Volume 54 Issue 16

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Rainy weather improved soil moisture levels and was welcomed by producers across the state last week, with above normal temperatures later in the week benefitting small grain emergence, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included machinery repair and maintenance, spring tillage, seeding small grains, hauling grain, fertilizing, fixing fence, hauling manure, tending to livestock, and preparing for planting of row crops. Statewide there were 3.9 days reported suitable for fieldwork. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

WEATHER INFORMATION:   Average temperatures were in the upper 40's and lower 50's last week, with precipitation received at 38 of the 43 reporting weather stations across the state. Temperatures averaged 5 degrees above normal for the state, with Milesville reporting the high for the week at 85 degrees and Newell reporting the low for the week at 22 degrees. Clear Lake received the most precipitation last week, with 2.09 inches reported.

SOIL CONDITION:    Both topsoil and subsoil moisture levels improved, due to the rains received early last week. Topsoil moisture levels increased from 57 percent adequate to surplus, to a rating of 76 percent adequate to surplus last week. Subsoil moisture levels increased 14 percentage points last week, to 66 percent adequate to surplus. Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 47.9 degrees last week, 8 degrees above normal. Beresford's soil temperature averaged 53.4 degrees, 12.6 degrees above normal; while Watertown's soil temperature averaged 39.5 degrees, 3.5 degrees above normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Rain may have delayed small grains seeding for some producers; however, significant advancements were made last week in seeding progress. Barley, oats, and spring wheat seeding progress all remain behind last year, but are well ahead of the five-year average. Barley is 39 percent seeded, with 7 percent emerged. Oats seeding is 59 percent complete, with 11 percent emerged. Spring wheat seeding is rated at 69 percent complete, with 16 percent emerged. The winter wheat crop is currently rated at 80 percent good to excellent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Rainy, warm weather was of benefit to livestock producers last week, as range and pasture conditions increased to 35 percent good to excellent. Cattle are rated at 82 percent in good to excellent condition, with sheep 81 percent in good to excellent condition. Calving and lambing advanced last week to 68 percent complete and 73 percent complete, respectively. Both calf and sheep and lamb deaths remained mostly at or below normal last week. Cattle moved to pasture is rated at 14 percent, with many producers commenting on delaying the move to protect dry pastures. Stock water supplies improved last week, to 57 percent adequate to surplus, well above last year's level of 43 percent adequate with no surplus.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF APRIL 17, 2005 

       FEED SUPPLIES      STOCK WATER
        This  Last 5-Yr.   This  Last  5-Yr.
RATING   Week  Year  Ave.   Week  Year   Ave.

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     10     8    NA     22     32   NA
Short      17    22    NA     21     25   NA
Adeq.      68    66    NA     56     43   NA
Surplus     5     4    NA      1      0   NA




        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF APRIL 17, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      7    11    18     12     16    42
Short      17    32    39     22     32    28
Adeq.      73    54    43     64     51    30
Surplus     3     3     0      2      1     0


          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF APRIL 17, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat   1       2     17      60     20
Cattle         0       1     17      66     16
Sheep          0       4     15      62     19
Range &                                        
  Pasture     19      14     32     32      3 



      CROP PROGRESS AS OF APRIL 17, 2005  1/
                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 seeded              39     14     48      27
 emerged              7      0      9       3
Spring wheat 
 seeded              69     39     72      43
 emerged             16      2     15       7
Oats        
 seeded              59     33     60      35
 emerged             11      1     14       6

1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage. 
          




     SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING APRIL 17, 2005
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      53              Gettysburg   45
Brookings      42              Nisland      52
Caputa         47              Pierre       50
Chamberlain    51              Redfield     47
Cottonwood     50              Watertown    40

                                                     

	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  MONTH ENDING APRIL 17, 2005
                                     

             TEMPERATURE       -----  PRECIPITATION -----     GDD BASE 50F
             -----------          SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  ------------
            CURRENT WEEK    CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1 SINCE APRIL 1
STATION     AVG DFN HI  LO  WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN  TOTAL   DFN
-------     --  --  --  -- -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  -----  ----
Bison       52  +8  83  30| 0.60   1.52   0.75  -1.62  -0.43|    53   +38
Buffalo     49  +6  79  28| 0.00   0.34   0.11  -1.50  -0.55|    74   +57
Dupree      50  +5  84  32| 0.67   1.79   0.67  -0.85  -0.28|    76   +57
Mc Intosh   51  +7  78  33| 0.87   1.65   0.87  -0.77  -0.08|    59   +45
Newell      45  +1  76  22| 0.00   1.25   0.34  -1.03  -0.44|    46   +29
Timber Lake 49  +5  77  32| 0.84   2.45   0.84  -0.59  -0.24|    59   +41
Aberdeen    50  +6  70  29| 0.37   1.60   0.37  -1.62  -0.67|    63   +42
Eureka      51  +9  77  31| 0.87   1.71   0.87  -0.88  -0.14|    66   +54
Faulkton    49  +6  72  31| 0.80   2.18   0.88  -1.04  -0.24|    45   +32
Mobridge    50  +6  69  32| 1.24   2.37   1.24  -0.64  +0.13|    71   +54
Roscoe      48  +4  68  35| 0.84   1.88   0.84  -1.28  -0.40|    32   +14
Britton     53  +9  72  35| 0.49   1.57   0.49  -1.07  -0.44|    84   +63
Clear_Lake  50  +6  65  38| 2.09   4.57   2.37  +0.43  +1.14|    41   +28
Sisseton    51  +7  69  34| 1.13   2.56   1.13  -1.06  -0.06|    62   +41
Webster     51  +8  74  37| 0.76   1.88   0.99  -1.35  +0.05|    49   +32
Watertown   50  +7  65  35| 1.10   2.50   1.44  -1.17  +0.30|    57   +44
Faith       46  +2  69  32| 0.66   1.91   0.66  -0.87  -0.31|    54   +33
Milesville  49  +3  85  32| 1.30   2.93   1.30  +0.11  +0.40|    66   +40
Long Valley 50  +4  84  30| 0.92   2.95   1.12  -0.03  +0.01|    85   +63
Philip      48  +2  71  31| 0.91   1.94   0.91  -0.57  +0.04|    74   +50
Rapid City  50  +6  80  26| 0.01   2.36   0.05  -0.55  -0.92|    73   +58
Spearfish   54 +10  83  31| 0.00   2.84   0.95  -1.35  -0.45|   102   +85
Chamberlain 48  +0  68  36| 1.00   3.50   1.25  +0.67  +0.19|    52   +24
Highmore    51  +6  78  37| 0.73   1.75   0.73  -1.56  -0.51|    76   +56
Huron       51  +6  69  38| 0.66   1.46   0.66  -2.42  -0.47|    77   +54
Onida       51  +6  80  35| 0.89   1.84   1.04  -1.59  -0.06|    77   +56
Pierre      49  +3  68  32| 1.27   1.79   1.27  -1.33  +0.19|    71   +48
Brookings   50  +7  66  32| 1.61   3.47   1.82  +0.38  +0.71|    53   +42
Madison     50  +6  65  32| 1.32   3.81   1.99  -0.62  +0.67|    57   +43
Mitchell    50  +3  67  37| 1.24   3.76   1.64  -0.17  +0.34|    49   +25
Sioux Falls 54  +8  68  40| 1.90   5.10   2.23  +0.96  +0.88|   109   +87
Custer      43  +3  62  25| 0.00   1.64   0.33  -1.14  -0.57|    12    +8
Hot Springs 51  +5  84  23| 0.00   1.76   0.25  -0.51  -0.53|    60   +31
Oelrichs    46  -2  69  23| 0.09   1.49   0.38  -1.40  -0.59|    42   +17
Porcupine   45  +1  72  23| 0.74   2.61   0.74  +0.31  -0.08|    60   +45
Murdo       46  +2  67  32| 1.13   3.20   1.13  -0.22  -0.03|    54   +40
Winner      51  +3  83  32| 1.22   4.02   1.59  -0.22  +0.18|    96   +58
Armour      55  +7  80  38| 1.30   3.97   1.85  -0.16  +0.60|   101   +66
Centerville 51  +5  68  35| 1.19   3.84   1.28  -0.11  +0.11|    81   +58
Marion      51  +6  67  37| 1.53   4.32   2.03  -0.08  +0.62|    60   +42
Pickstown   50  +3  69  39| 1.36   4.12   1.73  +0.32  +0.42|    68   +43
Vermillion  54  +4  76  35| 0.91   3.80   1.12  -0.07  -0.12|   103   +57
Yankton     51  +4  69  35| 1.83   6.29   3.29  +2.71  +2.22|    63   +36


Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.