Released: August 1, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending July 31, 2005 SD-CW3105 Volume 54 Issue 31

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   Winter wheat harvest is winding down, while harvesting of other small grains is in full swing, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. A few isolated showers improved soil moisture levels, but more moisture is needed soon to relieve row crops from heat stress. Major farm activities included machinery repair, harvesting small grains, irrigating crops, hay harvesting, fixing fence, and tending to livestock. Statewide, there were 6.1 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:   Cooler, below-normal temperatures were welcomed last week after the previous week's extreme highs. Pierre reported the high of 102 degrees last week, while Custer had the low of 40 degrees. Scattered showers last week provided much needed moisture to some areas of the state. Sioux Falls received the most precipitation, with 2.48 inches received.

SOIL CONDITION:   Many areas throughout the state are reporting shortages in moisture levels due to the recent dry conditions. However, topsoil moisture levels improved slightly last week due to some scattered showers across the state and are now at 48 percent adequate to surplus. Subsoil levels declined from 61 percent adequate to surplus the previous week to 56 percent adequate to surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   High temperatures and little rainfall last week caused corn conditions to continue to decline. Despite the heat stress, corn is now 67 percent silked and 4 percent in the dough stage, ahead of last year's 44 percent and 2 percent, respectively; but behind the five-year averages of 57 percent and 8 percent. Soybeans blooming are at 88 percent, ahead of last year's 79 percent and the five-year average of 83 percent; while 19 percent are setting pods, behind both last year's 26 percent and the five-year average of 37 percent. Winter wheat harvesting is wrapping up at 92 percent complete, while harvesting of spring-seeded small grains is in full swing. Sunflower blooming is at 20 percent, ahead of last year's 18 percent, but behind the five year average of 21 percent. Sorghum is 48 percent headed, ahead of last year's 41 percent and the average of 42 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:   Range and pasture conditions continue to decline with the lack of moisture and are now rated 62 percent good to excellent. Livestock are still in predominately good to excellent condition. Stock water supplies declined slightly, now with 70 percent adequate to surplus. The second alfalfa cutting is now 77 percent complete, and the third cutting is just getting started.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF July 31, 2005 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      2    10    11      9     23   20
Short       7    20    19     21     29   21
Adeq.      80    63    65     66     46   54
Surplus    11     7     5      4      2    5

        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF July 31, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     17    15    14     13      9    20
Short      35    39    30     31     30    28
Adeq.      46    43    53     54     59    50
Surplus     2     3     3      2      2     2



                        
          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF July 31, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Spring Wheat   1       5     25      51     18
Oats           0       4     20      60     16
Barley         0       3     22      63     12
Soybeans       1       4     20      53     22
Corn           2       6     24      48     20
Sorghum        6       8     22      57      7
Sunflower      9       7     24      50     10
Alfalfa        3      10     29      49      9
Cattle         0       1     11      66     22
Sheep          1       1      7      59     32
Range &                                        
  Pasture      2      10     26      50     12
                   


      CROP PROGRESS AS OF July 31, 2005  1/
                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 turning color       89     80     96      94
 ripe                49     27     56      67
 harvested           24     10     15      27
Spring wheat 
 turning color       98     92     97      97
 ripe                82     52     51      70
 harvested           37     17     25      33
Oats          
 turning color       96     88     96      97
 ripe                79     55     66      78
 harvested           56     26     34      48
Corn        
 tasseling           92     72     77      82
 silked              67     38     44      57
 dough                4      0      2       8
 dent                 0      0      0       1
Sorghum       
 headed              48      9     41      42
 turning color        0      0      3       9
Soybeans      
 blooming            88     74     79      83
 setting pods        19     12     26      37
Sunflower   
 blooming            20      8     18      21
 ray flowers dry      1      0      2       2
 bracts yellow        0      0      0       1
Winter wheat
 harvested           92     78     81      81
Alfalfa     
 2nd cutting         77     55     75      75
 3rd cutting          9      2      7       9
Other hay   
 cut                 88     82     81      84       

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


	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  WEEK ENDING July 31, 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       70  -4  95  49| 1.16  13.81  13.04  +1.72  +2.91|  1524  +134
Buffalo     72  -1 100  49| 0.35   5.18   4.95  -4.57  -3.62|  1577  +257
Dupree      72  -4  95  50| 0.52  13.91  12.79  +2.01  +2.58|  1619   +80
McIntosh    72  -3 101  50| 0.41   9.96   9.18  -1.34  -0.65|  1630  +186
Newell      72  -2  99  44| 0.46  12.34  11.43  +1.78  +2.37|  1518  +131
Timber Lake 71  -3  98  48| 0.00  11.28   9.67  -0.89  -0.54|  1574   +89
Aberdeen    69  -6  89  44| 0.29  12.51  11.28  +0.07  +1.02|  1667  +159
Eureka      71  -2  94  48| 0.51  11.40  10.56  +0.00  +0.74|  1707  +314
Faulkton    70  -4  95  48| 0.00  14.11  12.81  +1.71  +2.51|  1642  +167
Mobridge    73  -3  98  49| 0.62  11.75  10.62  +0.07  +0.84|  1687  +163
Roscoe      69  -5  92  50| 0.85  13.35  12.31  +0.36  +1.24|  1448   -20
Britton     69  -5  88  49| 1.38  17.43  16.35  +5.03  +5.66|  1765  +229
Clear Lake  68  -6  84  46| 0.16  15.75  13.55  +0.39  +1.10|  1536   +39
Sisseton    68  -7  90  48| 1.64  16.59  15.16  +3.16  +4.16|  1626   +45
Webster     69  -5  87  51| 0.90  16.57  15.68  +3.06  +4.46|  1563   +79
Watertown   69  -5  87  45| 0.22  11.40  10.34  -2.92  -1.45|  1660  +170
Faith       72  -4  93  49| 0.15  11.87  10.62  -0.19  +0.37|  1543   +15
Milesville  74  -3 101  49| 0.20  14.63  13.00  +2.20  +2.49|  1719   +81
Long Valley 74  -3  96  46| 0.20  15.71  13.88  +2.84  +2.88|  1766  +152
Philip      74  -3  99  50| 0.05  11.80  10.77  +0.35  +0.96|  1784  +101
Rapid City  73  -1  98  43| 0.86  11.20   8.89  -0.41  -0.78|  1658  +296
Spearfish   72  -2 100  50| 1.01  12.25  10.36  -3.12  -2.22|  1667  +364
Chamberlain 73  -6  95  50| 0.60  17.97  15.72  +5.81  +5.33|  1767   -30
Highmore    73  -3  96  49| 0.20  11.43  10.41  -1.93  -0.88|  1816  +204
Huron       71  -5  90  49| 0.29  11.30  10.50  -2.43  -0.48|  1902  +288
Onida       74  -3  97  49| 0.23  11.19  10.39  -1.45  +0.08|  1800  +135
Pierre      75  -3 102  49| 0.00   9.99   9.47  -3.14  -1.62|  1828  +125
Brookings   68  -4  83  44| 1.05  16.97  15.32  +2.33  +2.66|  1613  +251
Madison     69  -4  84  46| 1.25  16.39  14.57  +1.25  +2.54|  1690  +203
Mitchell    71  -6  89  48| 0.84  19.30  17.18  +4.88  +5.39|  1719   -38
Sioux Falls 71  -5  86  47| 2.48  19.63  16.76  +5.21  +5.13|  1876  +234
Custer      64  -3  88  40| 1.01  11.17   9.86  -2.17  -1.60|  1003  +120
Hot Springs 73  -2 101  44| 0.13  14.66  13.15  +3.30  +3.28|  1592   +64
Oelrichs    70  -6  99  43| 0.51  15.56  14.45  +3.59  +4.40|  1505   -81
Porcupine   70  -6  96  43| 0.32  13.83  11.96  +2.27  +1.88|  1603   +54
Murdo       73  -4  99  50| 0.40  15.24  13.17  +2.34  +2.53|  1708  +102
Winner      76  -3 100  51| 0.15  18.23  15.80  +1.87  +2.27|  1960   +65
Armour      73  -4  95  47| 0.53  19.29  17.17  +3.89  +4.65|  1934  +113
Centerville 71  -3  89  46| 0.11  19.16  16.60  +3.07  +3.29|  1891  +211
Marion      70  -5  87  47| 1.08  20.53  18.24  +5.21  +5.91|  1757  +118
Pickstown   72  -5  97  48| 0.53  17.77  15.38  +3.25  +3.35|  1853   +89
Vermillion  75  -2  93  47| 0.92  21.25  18.57  +5.43  +5.38|  2147  +220
Yankton     72  -4  91  47| 0.02  19.31  16.31  +3.96  +3.47|  1937  +184

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