Released: April 25, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending April 24, 2005 SD-CW1705 Volume 54 Issue 17

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Above normal temperatures and precipitation were common characteristics throughout the state last week, with topsoil moisture levels showing some improvement, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Warm temperatures were of benefit to small grain emergence, as well as range and pasture conditions. 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 and planting of row crops. Statewide there were 4.3 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:   Temperatures averaged approximately 4 degrees above normal for the state last week , with averages in the upper 40's and lower 50's. The high for the week was 87 degrees, reported in Newell, Philip, and Rapid City. The low for the week was 19 degrees, reported in Aberdeen, Roscoe, and Huron. Precipitation was scattered with several areas in the northeastern part of the state receiving no moisture. Vermillion received the most precipitation last week, with 3.87 inches reported.

SOIL CONDITION:    Last week's precipitation helped to improve topsoil moisture levels, with subsoil moisture levels falling slightly. Topsoil moisture levels are rated at 81 percent adequate to surplus, compared to the previous week's 76 percent adequate to surplus. Subsoil moisture levels are rated at 62 percent adequate to surplus, compared to the previous week's 66 percent adequate to surplus. Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 50.6 degrees last week, about 6 degrees above normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Scattered precipitation and warm temperatures helped with the emergence of small grains, although current small grain emergence ratings remain slightly behind last year's progress. Barley seeding is 61 percent complete with emergence rated at 16 percent, both behind last year's progress of 72 percent seeded and 17 percent emerged. Oats seeding, at 75 percent with emergence rated at 29 percent, is also behind last year, but ahead of the five-year average. Spring wheat seeding is rated at 86 percent complete, with emergence rated at 38 percent. Emergence is behind last year's rating of 40 percent, but ahead of the five-year average of 20 percent. Winter wheat is rated at 81 percent in good to excellent condition, with 1 percent of the crop in the boot stage. Last week's mild weather also helped producers make advancements in corn planting, with the crop now 7 percent planted, in line with last year and ahead of the five- year average of 5 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Last week's mild weather was welcomed by livestock producers as cattle and sheep conditions remain in good to excellent condition. Range and pasture conditions improved to 40 percent rated in good to excellent condition, with many producers commenting that recent rains helped to green-up pastures and promote grass growth. Some producers also commented that much more precipitation and growth will be needed before turning cattle out to pastures. With stock water supplies falling slightly to 54 percent adequate to surplus, the rating of cattle moved to pastures is at 19 percent, slightly ahead of last year's rating of 18 percent. Calving and lambing advanced to 76 percent and 78 percent complete, respectively, with calf and sheep and lamb deaths remaining mostly at or below average.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF APRIL 24, 2005 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     14     7     8     22     29   11
Short      12    23    19     24     27   17
Adeq.      67    65    67     52     44   65
Surplus     7     5     6      2      0    7




        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF APRIL 24, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      4     7    15     12     12    37
Short      15    17    33     26     22    29
Adeq.      75    73    52     58     64    34
Surplus     6     3     0      4      2     0


          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF APRIL 24, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       2     17      57     24
Cattle         0       1     12      67     20
Sheep          0       4     13      58     25
Range &                                        
  Pasture     16      17     27     35      5   



      CROP PROGRESS AS OF APRIL 24, 2005  1/
                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 seeded              61     39     72      44
 emerged             16      7     17       9
Spring wheat 
 seeded              86     69     89      60
 emerged             38     16     40      20
Oats          
 seeded              75     59     81      52
 emerged             29     11     32      16
Corn        
 planted              7      0      7       5
Winter wheat
 boot                 1      0      0       1

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




     SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING APRIL 24, 2005
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      53              Gettysburg   49
Brookings      46              Nisland      53
Caputa         48              Pierre       54
Chamberlain    55              Redfield     50
Cottonwood     53              Watertown    43

                                                     

	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  MONTH ENDING APRIL 24, 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       50  +4  82  28| 0.69   2.21   1.44  -1.49  -0.30|    77   +49
Buffalo     50  +5  85  30| 0.49   0.83   0.60  -1.38  -0.43|   103   +74
Dupree      49  +1  82  22| 1.25   3.04   1.92  -0.09  +0.48|    96   +61
Mc Intosh   52  +7  81  27| 0.37   2.02   1.24  -0.89  -0.20|    90   +63
Newell      49  +3  87  30| 1.55   2.80   1.89  +0.10  +0.69|    79   +49
Timber Lake 51  +3  78  23| 0.61   3.06   1.45  -0.51  -0.16|    88   +55
Aberdeen    52  +5  82  19| 0.00   1.60   0.37  -2.11  -1.16|   104   +66
Eureka      53  +7  82  21| 0.11   1.82   0.98  -1.26  -0.52|   103   +79
Faulkton    51  +5  81  22| 0.43   2.61   1.31  -1.11  -0.31|    78   +52
Mobridge    52  +6  82  20| 0.15   2.52   1.39  -0.99  -0.22|   109   +78
Roscoe      50  +3  82  19| 0.00   1.88   0.84  -1.84  -0.96|    62   +30
Britton     54  +7  83  24| 0.00   1.57   0.49  -1.56  -0.93|   136   +98
Clear Lake  51  +4  78  26| 0.00   4.57   2.37  -0.13  +0.58|    77   +49
Sisseton    52  +4  84  24| 0.00   2.56   1.13  -1.62  -0.62|   102   +63
Webster     51  +5  79  27| 0.00   1.88   0.99  -1.82  -0.42|    83   +51
Watertown   52  +5  78  20| 0.00   2.50   1.44  -1.73  -0.26|   100   +73
Faith       49  +2  84  28| 0.64   2.55   1.30  -0.72  -0.16|    85   +48
Milesville  50  +1  79  27| 1.05   3.98   2.35  +0.69  +0.98|    89   +43
Long Valley 50  +2  79  22| 3.68   6.63   4.80  +3.13  +3.17|   113   +73
Philip      52  +3  87  24| 1.83   3.77   2.74  +0.82  +1.43|   114   +70
Rapid City  50  +4  87  29| 1.38   3.74   1.43  +0.34  -0.03|   105   +78
Spearfish   47  +0  83  27| 1.48   4.32   2.43  -0.56  +0.34|   111   +82
Chamberlain 52  +3  81  26| 2.08   5.58   3.33  +2.24  +1.76|    92   +41
Highmore    53  +4  81  23| 0.90   2.65   1.63  -1.22  -0.17|   114   +77
Huron       55  +7  81  19| 0.01   1.47   0.67  -2.90  -0.95|   136   +95
Onida       52  +3  82  23| 0.86   2.70   1.90  -1.22  +0.31|   111   +72
Pierre      53  +4  82  24| 0.92   2.71   2.19  -0.93  +0.59|   114   +72
Brookings   52  +6  77  20| 0.00   3.47   1.82  -0.11  +0.22|    98   +75
Madison     53  +6  79  22| 0.03   3.84   2.02  -1.15  +0.14|   103   +74
Mitchell    53  +4  80  25| 1.43   5.19   3.07  +0.66  +1.17|    95   +48
Sioux Falls 56  +7  81  27| 1.02   6.12   3.25  +1.35  +1.27|   169  +129
Custer      44  +2  75  22| 1.70   3.34   2.03  +0.07  +0.64|    28   +17
Hot Springs 50  +1  83  25| 2.14   3.90   2.39  +1.20  +1.18|    88   +38
Oelrichs    48  -2  82  25| 2.42   3.91   2.80  +0.52  +1.33|    67   +23
Porcupine   50  +3  85  23| 1.53   4.14   2.27  +1.41  +1.02|    96   +67
Murdo       50  +3  84  29| 3.25   6.45   4.38  +2.49  +2.68|    85   +56
Winner      53  +2  82  27| 2.31   6.33   3.90  +1.41  +1.81|   132   +66
Armour      54  +3  80  27| 0.84   4.81   2.69  +0.12  +0.88|   148   +88
Centerville 55  +6  82  26| 1.32   5.27   2.71  +0.76  +0.98|   142   +98
Marion      54  +6  80  26| 1.54   5.86   3.57  +0.83  +1.53|   112   +77
Pickstown   55  +5  83  26| 1.55   5.67   3.28  +1.31  +1.41|   122   +75
Vermillion  57  +5  84  26| 3.87   7.67   4.99  +3.21  +3.16|   173   +95
Yankton     56  +7  83  27| 2.72   9.22   6.22  +5.12  +4.63|   126   +76

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