Released: September 19, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending September 18, 2005 SD-CW3805 Volume 54 Issue 38

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   Temperatures were above normal again last week, with many parts of the state receiving some much-needed precipitation. Rains helped to improve soil moisture levels; however, storms moved through several areas bringing some reports of hail damage. Row crop harvest began for many, with other major farm activities including seeding of winter wheat, silage harvest, cutting alfalfa, moving hay and grain, and caring for livestock. Statewide, there were 5.8 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 almost 5 degrees above normal last week, with averages in the 60's. The high for the week was reported in Armour and Pickstown, at 97 degrees. Oelrichs reported the low for the week, at 33 degrees. Precipitation was reported at all but 4 of the 43 reporting weather stations. Watertown reported the most precipitation, at 1.55 inches.

SOIL CONDITION:   Recent rains helped to improve topsoil and subsoil moisture levels. Topsoil moisture ratings rose 7 percentage points, to a current rating of 52 percent adequate to surplus. Subsoil moisture levels improved slightly, to 45 percent adequate to surplus, below last year's rating of 53 percent adequate to surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   Winter wheat seeding is still a major farm activity for producers throughout the state, with many commenting that the recent rains should be beneficial for the crop. Winter wheat seeding is 44 percent complete, with 4 percent emerged. Corn development remains ahead of last year, with the crop 96 percent in the dent stage, 43 percent rated mature, and 2 percent of the crop harvested. Corn silage harvest advanced to 74 percent complete, ahead of last year's 39 percent and the five-year average of 67 percent. Both soybean development and harvest are ahead of last year and the five-year averages, with 86 percent of the crop dropping leaves, 32 percent rated mature, and 3 percent harvested. Sorghum development is also ahead of last year and the five-year average, with 93 percent of the crop coloring and 41 percent rated mature. Sorghum harvest for grain, at 3 percent complete, is in line with last year; while sorghum silage harvest, at 74 percent complete, is well ahead of last year's 46 percent. Sunflower development is similar to the five-year average, yet ahead of last year's development. Sunflower are rated at 92 percent having ray flowers dry, 75 percent having bracts yellow, and 10 percent mature. Sunflower harvest is just starting at 1 percent complete, compared to the five-year average of 2 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:   Cattle and sheep remained in mostly good to excellent condition with last week's warm weather. Precipitation may have greened up pastures in some areas; however the condition of range and pastures fell from 42 percent good to excellent the previous week to 38 percent good to excellent last week. Stock water supplies increased two percentage points, to a rating of 60 percent adequate to surplus. Alfalfa harvest continued, with the third cutting now 80 percent complete.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF SEPTEMBER 18, 2005 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      3    11    11     17     26   24
Short       9    18    23     23     25   25
Adeq.      76    65    62     58     48   48
Surplus    12     6     4      2      1    3




        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF SEPTEMBER 18, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     25    30    12     26     27    21
Short      23    25    22     29     29    26
Adeq.      48    44    61     44     43    51
Surplus     4     1     5      1      1     2


                        
          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF SEPTEMBER 18, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Soybeans       4      12     27      42     15
Corn           6      13     25      41     15
Sorghum       10      10     36      42      2
Sunflower      4      12     27      47     10
Alfalfa       10      17     27      41      5
Cattle         0       2     10      67     21
Sheep          0       1      7      61     31
Range &                                        
  Pasture      8      18     36      33      5
                   


      CROP PROGRESS AS OF SEPTEMBER 18, 2005  1/
                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn        
 dent                96     92     72      90
 mature              43     21     17      39
 grain harvested      2      0      0       2
 silage harvested    74     50     39      67 
Sorghum       
 coloring            93     83     82      90
 mature              41     15     26      32
 grain harvested      3      0      3       5
 silage harvested    74     58     46      56
Soybeans      
 dropping leaves     86     62     57      72
 mature              32     12     10      26
 harvested            3      0      0       2 
Sunflower   
 ray flowers dry     92     84     84      92
 bracts yellow       75     65     62      72
 mature              10      5      5      23
 harvested            1      0      0       2 
Winter wheat
 seeded              44     29     36      30
 emerged              4      1      5       6
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         80     72     78      74

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


	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 18, 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       62  +3  86  43| 0.35  15.99  15.22  +1.57  +2.76|  2480  +229
Buffalo     62  +4  88  43| 0.41   7.30   7.07  -4.44  -3.49|  2564  +426
Dupree      64  +3  92  39| 0.06  15.49  14.37  +1.33  +1.90|  2682  +207
Mc Intosh   62  +3  89  40| 0.14  12.95  12.17  -1.11  -0.42|  2631  +334
Newell      60  +2  88  38| 0.20  14.75  13.84  +2.09  +2.68|  2475  +234
Timber Lake 63  +5  87  44| 0.07  12.70  11.09  -2.34  -1.99|  2581  +237
Aberdeen    64  +6  87  38| 0.17  16.05  14.82  +0.30  +1.25|  2624  +261
Eureka      64  +6  88  40| 0.25  14.12  13.28  -0.27  +0.47|  2721  +515
Faulkton    65  +6  90  43| 1.18  18.50  17.20  +2.72  +3.52|  2667  +349
Mobridge    66  +6  92  41| 0.14  13.71  12.58  -0.63  +0.14|  2778  +367
Roscoe      64  +5  88  44| 0.59  17.05  16.01  +1.04  +1.92|  2362   +41
Britton     66  +6  84  46| 0.67  25.28  24.20  +9.49 +10.12|  2753  +341
Clear Lake  64  +5  88  46| 1.43  22.23  20.03  +2.39  +3.10|  2421   +96
Sisseton    66  +6  87  48| 0.92  22.23  20.80  +4.81  +5.81|  2591  +128
Webster     63  +5  81  49| 0.97  21.27  20.38  +3.61  +5.01|  2489  +181
Watertown   64  +5  87  44| 1.55  16.74  15.68  -1.54  -0.07|  2626  +293
Faith       63  +3  89  42| 0.05  13.18  11.93  -1.01  -0.45|  2606  +145
Milesville  64  +3  94  41| 0.05  16.82  15.19  +1.54  +1.83|  2867  +244
Long Valley 65  +3  89  38| 0.07  17.03  15.20  +1.54  +1.58|  2887  +293
Philip      66  +4  94  38| 0.00  12.51  11.48  -1.20  -0.59|  2958  +257
Rapid City  63  +4  90  39| 0.06  13.06  10.75  -0.97  -1.34|  2696  +471
Spearfish   62  +4  86  44| 0.21  14.81  12.92  -3.38  -2.48|  2676  +555
Chamberlain 69  +6  96  45| 0.44  19.21  16.96  +4.21  +3.73|  2983  +136
Highmore    67  +6  89  42| 0.54  14.02  13.00  -2.71  -1.66|  2987  +417
Huron       68  +8  93  44| 1.17  18.76  17.96  +1.98  +3.93|  3051  +525
Onida       67  +5  91  41| 0.42  12.92  12.12  -2.69  -1.16|  2975  +332
Pierre      69  +7  95  42| 0.04  10.42   9.90  -5.36  -3.84|  3078  +364
Brookings   65  +8  87  43| 0.61  24.81  23.16  +5.73  +6.06|  2508  +398
Madison     66  +7  89  44| 0.47  21.79  19.97  +2.22  +3.51|  2637  +327
Mitchell    67  +5  92  45| 0.76  24.50  22.38  +6.37  +6.88|  2776   +55
Sioux Falls 68  +8  89  46| 0.38  23.39  20.52  +4.22  +4.14|  2920  +377
Custer      56  +2  80  34| 0.23  13.52  12.21  -2.83  -2.26|  1668  +198
Hot Springs 62  +0  87  36| 0.00  17.45  15.94  +3.93  +3.91|  2550   +96
Oelrichs    61  -2  89  33| 0.11  17.85  16.74  +3.51  +4.32|  2498   -72
Porcupine   62  +1  90  35| 0.11  16.96  15.09  +3.34  +2.95|  2589  +120
Murdo       67  +6  92  41| 0.00  16.21  14.14  +0.96  +1.15|  2886  +337
Winner      69  +5  90  41| 0.00  19.60  17.17  -0.37  +0.03|  3219  +251
Armour      74 +11  97  44| 0.44  20.48  18.36  +1.48  +2.24|  3195  +369
Centerville 67  +7  93  45| 0.65  21.47  18.91  +0.81  +1.03|  2993  +431
Marion      67  +6  91  46| 0.70  25.82  23.53  +5.96  +6.66|  2783  +272
Pickstown   69  +7  97  46| 0.47  19.73  17.34  +1.39  +1.49|  3037  +271
Vermillion  70  +6  94  46| 0.85  25.32  22.64  +5.01  +4.96|  3320  +383
Yankton     68  +6  93  45| 0.39  21.14  18.14  +1.61  +1.12|  3093  +390


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