Released: October 17, 2005 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week Ending October 16, 2005 SD-CW4205 Volume 54 Issue 42

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   Warm, dry weather across much of the state allowed producers to make significant advancements in row crop harvest, as well as nearly completing the seeding of winter wheat. Fields in some areas, however, were so wet that some farmers have to delay harvest until both the land and the crops have dried further. Major farm activities included row crop harvest, seeding of winter wheat, moving hay and grain, machinery maintenance, moving cattle to field residue, and caring for livestock. Statewide, there were 6.0 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 mainly in the lower 50's last week, with precipitation scattered across the state. The high temperature for the week was 81 degrees, reported in Milesville and Porcupine, while the low for the week was 21 degrees, reported in Bison. Hot Springs reported the most precipitation for the week, at 0.46 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:   Last week's dry weather caused both topsoil and subsoil moisture levels to fall in several areas. Topsoil moisture fell from 74 percent adequate to surplus the previous week, to 69 percent adequate to surplus last week. Subsoil moisture fell to 58 percent adequate to surplus, below last year's rating of 63 percent adequate to surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   Row crop harvest has progressed well ahead of last year's pace, with the corn crop now rated 98 percent mature and 32 percent harvested. Corn harvest is in line with the five-year average of 33 percent. Soybean harvest advanced 25 percentage points last week, bringing harvest up to 84 percent complete, compared to 75 for the average. Sorghum progress is ahead of average with 97 percent rated mature and 64 percent harvested, well ahead of last year's 37 percent harvested. Sunflower harvest remains behind normal, with the crop 85 percent mature and 39 percent harvested. Winter wheat seeding nears completion ahead of average, with 96 percent seeded and 69 percent emerged.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:   Cattle and sheep condition showed little change last week, with the ratings in mostly good to excellent condition. Range and pasture conditions are also similar to the previous week, with 45 percent rated in good to excellent condition. With minimal precipitation being received across the state, stock water supplies fell slightly, to 61 percent adequate to surplus. Alfalfa harvest nears completion, with the crop rated at 51 percent good to excellent, and harvest of the third cutting 97 percent complete.

          FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF OCTOBER 16, 2005 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      3    12    11     18     19   25
Short       9    18    23     21     21   23
Adeq.      81    65    62     57     58   50
Surplus     7     5     4      4      2    2



        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
           AS OF OCTOBER 16, 2005 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     10     7     8     18     16    16
Short      21    19    16     24     25    21
Adeq.      64    67    73     53     55    62
Surplus     5     7     3      5      4     1


                        
          CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
              AS OF OCTOBER 16, 2005 

ITEM        V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Corn           5      10     24      46     15
Sorghum        9      12     32      45      2
Sunflower      4      13     28      45     10
Alfalfa        8      12     29      42      9
Winter wheat   2       9     35      47      7
Cattle         0       2     11      66     21
Sheep          0       1      7      68     24
Range &                                        
  Pasture      8      14     33      39      6
                  


      CROP PROGRESS AS OF OCTOBER 16, 2005  1/                                                                         
                                                                           
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn        
 mature              98     95     92      97
 grain harvested     32     21     13      33
Sorghum       
 mature              97     90     92      96 
 grain harvested     64     41     37      58
Soybeans      
 harvested           84     59     71      75 
Sunflower   
 mature              85     65     79      92
 harvested           39     15     19      47 
Winter wheat
 seeded              96     92     93      91
 emerged             69     50     66      63
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         97     92     95      97

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



SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING OCT. 16, 2005
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      56              Gettysburg   54
Brookings      52              Nisland      53
Caputa         51              Pierre       57
Chamberlain    58              Redfield     50
Cottonwood     54              Watertown    50



	     TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
              WEEK ENDING OCTOBER 16, 2005                 

             TEMPERATURE       -----  PRECIPITATION -----    
             -----------          SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE 
            CURRENT WEEK    CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1 
STATION     AVG DFN HI  LO  WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN 
-------     --  --  --  -- -----  -----  -----  -----  ----- 
Bison       52  +3  75  21| 0.10  18.53  17.76  +3.03  +4.22
Buffalo     51  +3  76  35| 0.00   8.24   8.01  -4.53  -3.58
Dupree      54  +4  77  32| 0.00  16.29  15.17  +1.01  +1.58
Mc Intosh   53  +5  79  33| 0.00  14.46  13.68  -0.76  -0.07
Newell      50  +2  80  31| 0.00  15.88  14.97  +2.10  +2.69
Timber Lake 53  +4  80  34| 0.00  13.57  11.96  -2.59  -2.24
Aberdeen    52  +4  68  29| 0.13  17.51  16.28  +0.40  +1.35
Eureka      54  +6  78  32| 0.05  15.29  14.45  -0.27  +0.47
Faulkton    52  +4  69  34| 0.18  20.33  19.03  +3.24  +4.04
Mobridge    54  +5  72  34| 0.01  14.45  13.32  -1.05  -0.28
Roscoe      51  +3  68  36| 0.20  18.15  17.11  +0.93  +1.81
Britton     53  +3  73  34| 0.19  27.29  26.21 +10.04 +10.67
Clear Lake  49  -1  67  35| 0.08  26.30  24.10  +4.52  +5.23
Sisseton    50  -2  67  32| 0.04  24.29  22.86  +5.29  +6.29
Webster     52  +4  72  38| 0.08  22.95  22.06  +3.77  +5.17
Watertown   51  +2  66  33| 0.06  18.70  17.64  -1.35  +0.12
Faith       52  +2  76  36| 0.04  14.08  12.83  -1.22  -0.66
Milesville  56  +5  81  33| 0.00  18.01  16.38  +1.49  +1.78
Long Valley 54  +2  78  34| 0.16  18.51  16.68  +1.95  +1.99
Philip      53  +2  79  34| 0.00  13.39  12.36  -1.38  -0.77
Rapid City  52  +3  79  35| 0.06  14.35  12.04  -0.80  -1.17
Spearfish   53  +4  78  32| 0.26  17.54  15.65  -2.29  -1.39
Chamberlain 55  +3  76  39| 0.07  21.70  19.45  +5.58  +5.10
Highmore    55  +4  78  35| 0.05  15.54  14.52  -2.58  -1.53
Huron       55  +5  71  35| 0.05  21.03  20.23  +2.79  +4.74
Onida       55  +4  79  36| 0.04  14.01  13.21  -2.72  -1.19
Pierre      55  +4  75  36| 0.05  12.01  11.49  -5.09  -3.57
Brookings   50  +3  67  32| 0.07  30.18  28.53  +9.10  +9.43
Madison     51  +3  68  32| 0.03  25.81  23.99  +4.34  +5.63
Mitchell    52  +2  72  36| 0.10  27.84  25.72  +7.91  +8.42
Sioux Falls 53  +4  72  33| 0.04  27.20  24.33  +5.83  +5.75
Custer      47  +1  70  34| 0.04  15.33  14.02  -2.17  -1.60
Hot Springs 52  +0  78  33| 0.46  18.80  17.29  +4.16  +4.14
Oelrichs    51  -2  79  33| 0.40  19.17  18.06  +3.76  +4.57
Porcupine   50  +0  81  31| 0.22  18.18  16.31  +3.50  +3.11
Murdo       54  +3  76  39| 0.13  17.44  15.37  +1.01  +1.20
Winner      54  +1  77  37| 0.08  21.86  19.43  +0.24  +0.64
Armour      55  +3  76  36| 0.14  26.13  24.01  +5.26  +6.02
Centerville 53  +3  75  34| 0.11  24.60  22.04  +1.92  +2.14
Marion      52  +3  72  35| 0.14  30.01  27.72  +8.02  +8.72
Pickstown   53  +0  74  37| 0.17  23.67  21.28  +3.49  +3.59
Vermillion  55  +2  77  35| 0.00  29.11  26.43  +6.91  +6.86
Yankton     55  +4  78  35| 0.16  26.32  23.32  +5.02  +4.53

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