Released: October 3, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending October 2, 2005 SD-CW4005 Volume 54 Issue 40

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   Precipitation was scattered throughout the state last week; however, most areas were still able to make advancements in harvest progress. Winter wheat seeding also showed significant advancements throughout the state, while emergence has been slow in several areas due to dry conditions. Many producers feel that more precipitation will be needed to help winter wheat emergence and stand quality. Major farm activities included row crop harvest, seeding of winter wheat, silage harvest, cutting alfalfa, moving hay, machinery maintenance, and caring for livestock. Statewide, there were 5.4 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:   Warm temperatures and scattered precipitation were the main weather issues across the state last week. Average temperatures were in the 60's last week, approximately 6 degrees above normal. The high temperature for the week was 99 degrees, reported in Winner; while the low for the week was 30 degrees, reported in both Aberdeen and Brookings. Precipitation was reported at all but 1 of the reporting weather stations, with Marion reporting the most precipitation, at 0.56 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:   Last week's precipitation helped to improve topsoil and subsoil moisture levels throughout the state. Topsoil moisture levels rose from 59 percent adequate to surplus the previous week, to 63 percent adequate to surplus last week. Subsoil moisture levels rose from 47 percent adequate to surplus the previous week, to 50 percent adequate to surplus last week.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   Wet fields delayed harvest in some areas, with several producers postponing harvest to allow the crops to dry down in the field. Winter wheat seeding advanced to 83 percent complete, with emergence rated at 33 percent, both ahead of average. Many producers hope for more precipitation to improve winter wheat emergence. Corn rated mature advanced to 87 percent with harvest 14 percent complete, both ahead of last year and the five-year average. Corn silage harvest is also ahead of last year and the five- year average, with harvest 95 percent complete. Soybean development is also ahead of normal with the crop 89 percent mature and 34 percent harvested. Sorghum development advanced to 82 percent mature with 26 percent harvested, well ahead of last year's 52 percent and 5 percent, respectively. Sorghum silage harvest advanced to 95 percent complete. The state's sunflower crop has advanced to 93 percent having bracts yellow. The sunflower crop is rated at 43 percent mature with 8 percent harvested, ahead of last year's 29 percent and 4 percent, respectively, yet behind the five-year averages of 61 percent mature and 18 percent harvested.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:   Warm weather and precipitation last week helped to improve range and pasture conditions in several areas of the state, bringing the rating up to 45 percent good to excellent. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly good to excellent condition. Stock water supplies have a current rating of 60 percent adequate to surplus. While alfalfa is rated at 45 percent good to excellent in the state, harvest is wrapping up with the third cutting now 88 percent complete.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF OCTOBER 2, 2005 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      3     9     9     18     18   22
Short       8    21    24     22     23   26
Adeq.      80    64    63     57     57   50
Surplus     9     6     4      3      2    2



        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
           AS OF OCTOBER 2, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     17    19     5     23     25    14
Short      20    22    15     27     28    19
Adeq.      60    55    72     47     45    64
Surplus     3     4     8      3      2     3


                        
          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF OCTOBER 2, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Soybeans       4      11     28      45     12
Corn           5      11     26      47     11
Sorghum       10      11     37      40      2
Sunflower      4      11     26      48     11
Alfalfa        9      16     30      38      7
Cattle         0       2     12      65     21
Sheep          0       2      8      60     30
Range &                                        
  Pasture      9      16     30      39      6
                  


      CROP PROGRESS AS OF OCTOBER 2, 2005  1/
                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn        
 mature              87     74     49      80
 grain harvested     14      8      3      12
 silage harvested    95     87     74      91 
Sorghum       
 mature              82     61     52      71
 grain harvested     26     12      5      21
 silage harvested    95     90     62      76
Soybeans      
 mature              89     64     49      77
 harvested           34     15      9      29 
Sunflower   
 bracts yellow       93     86     84      91
 mature              43     28     29      61
 harvested            8      3      4      18 
Winter wheat
 seeded              83     65     65      72
 emerged             33     13     32      31
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         88     85     87      86
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage. 


	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 2, 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  +9  91  36| 0.24  16.61  15.84  +1.63  +2.82|  2659  +316
Buffalo     61  +8  92  38| 0.27   7.64   7.41  -4.66  -3.71|  2722  +500
Dupree      64  +9  94  38| 0.18  15.84  14.72  +1.12  +1.69|  2864  +280
Mc Intosh   63 +10  92  36| 0.12  13.86  13.08  -0.83  -0.14|  2801  +419
Newell      58  +5  95  33| 0.22  15.26  14.35  +2.04  +2.63|  2611  +281
Timber Lake 63  +9  89  37| 0.23  13.07  11.46  -2.53  -2.18|  2756  +322
Aberdeen    59  +5  89  30| 0.38  16.60  15.37  +0.07  +1.02|  2777  +325
Eureka      63 +10  89  35| 0.12  14.60  13.76  -0.40  +0.34|  2898  +612
Faulkton    59  +5  90  36| 0.27  19.36  18.06  +2.88  +3.68|  2813  +402
Mobridge    62  +8  91  38| 0.17  14.00  12.87  -0.94  -0.17|  2954  +446
Roscoe      59  +5  88  37| 0.22  17.44  16.40  +0.78  +1.66|  2501   +92
Britton     62  +8  85  35| 0.08  25.84  24.76  +9.25  +9.88|  2935  +426
Clear Lake  56  +1  82  33| 0.46  24.26  22.06  +3.44  +4.15|  2559  +137
Sisseton    60  +5  88  36| 0.31  22.75  21.32  +4.49  +5.49|  2764  +198
Webster     61  +7  85  38| 0.00  21.62  20.73  +3.14  +4.54|  2648  +256
Watertown   58  +4  82  32| 0.46  17.63  16.57  -1.50  -0.03|  2784  +359
Faith       62  +7  94  36| 0.17  13.55  12.30  -1.20  -0.64|  2786  +215
Milesville  65  +9  96  40| 0.35  17.37  15.74  +1.47  +1.76|  3070  +328
Long Valley 64  +6  92  35| 0.10  17.85  16.02  +1.80  +1.84|  3081  +358
Philip      62  +5  96  35| 0.21  12.79  11.76  -1.43  -0.82|  3136  +310
Rapid City  61  +7  94  36| 0.10  13.57  11.26  -1.02  -1.39|  2867  +542
Spearfish   63  +9  88  38| 0.35  15.50  13.61  -3.50  -2.60|  2853  +638
Chamberlain 62  +4  90  39| 0.13  21.22  18.97  +5.66  +5.18|  3173  +189
Highmore    65  +8  89  37| 0.12  15.08  14.06  -2.35  -1.30|  3193  +507
Huron       61  +6  87  37| 0.14  20.49  19.69  +2.95  +4.90|  3248  +617
Onida       65  +9  91  38| 0.15  13.61  12.81  -2.56  -1.03|  3180  +418
Pierre      64  +7  94  42| 0.19  11.73  11.21  -4.75  -3.23|  3276  +441
Brookings   57  +4  83  30| 0.18  27.74  26.09  +7.51  +7.84|  2661  +472
Madison     57  +3  83  31| 0.22  24.69  22.87  +4.11  +5.40|  2794  +388
Mitchell    59  +3  85  35| 0.34  26.87  24.75  +7.70  +8.21|  2957  +113
Sioux Falls 61  +6  83  34| 0.21  25.74  22.87  +5.29  +5.21|  3130  +482
Custer      55  +5  82  36| 0.10  14.19  12.88  -2.81  -2.24|  1757  +227
Hot Springs 61  +4  89  33| 0.06  17.75  16.24  +3.61  +3.59|  2712  +136
Oelrichs    59  +2  92  34| 0.25  18.29  17.18  +3.39  +4.20|  2650   -46
Porcupine   59  +4  91  38| 0.10  17.46  15.59  +3.28  +2.89|  2735  +161
Murdo       63  +7  95  36| 0.10  17.09  15.02  +1.28  +1.47|  3077  +413
Winner      68  +9  99  39| 0.16  21.43  19.00  +0.55  +0.95|  3466  +347
Armour      64  +7  85  33| 0.22  25.57  23.45  +5.49  +6.25|  3420  +461
Centerville 59  +4  85  33| 0.44  23.51  20.95  +1.71  +1.93|  3188  +516
Marion      59  +4  84  33| 0.56  28.74  26.45  +7.61  +8.31|  2965  +349
Pickstown   60  +2  86  35| 0.45  23.15  20.76  +3.75  +3.85|  3257  +360
Vermillion  65  +7  89  35| 0.09  28.21  25.53  +6.87  +6.82|  3583  +497
Yankton     60  +4  88  33| 0.55  25.97  22.97  +5.45  +4.96|  3304  +473
 

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