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Released: April 17, 2000 -- 3:00 p. For Week Ending April 16, 2000 Volume 49 Issue 7

GENERAL:    Strong winds mid-week followed by cold, wet weather Thursday through Sunday brought field work to a halt, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Reports of ice accumu lation ranged from 1/8 inch in Bison to 1/2 inch in Sioux Falls. Major activities by farmers and ranchers were calving and lambing, fencing, spreading fertilizer, plowing, and seeding. Statewide there were 4.8 days suitable for field work. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

SOIL CONDITIONS: Soil moisture levels are similar to last week, with many areas still too dry for crop development. Areas with topsoil moisture considered very short or short covered 45 percent of the state, compared to 47 percent last week. Areas with subsoil moisture considered very short or short totaled 46 percent, up 1 percent from last week. High winds blew across the state mid-week, drying topsoil and causing soil erosion. Many farmers report soils too dry and cold for working or planting. 

    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
          This  Last Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week Year  Week  Week  Year

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     10    11    0    10     9     0
Short      35    36    0    36    36     0
Adeq.      50    50   64    48    51    68
Surplus     5     3   36     6     4    32

CROPS:    Crops seeded into dry soils early last week received much needed moisture later in the week. Cool soils and cold nights have slowed crop emergence. There were many reports of thin and spotty winter wheat fields but no reports of winter kill. The condition of the winter wheat crop is now rated at 4 percent poor, 26 percent fair, 57 percent good, and 13 percent excellent. Winter rye is rated at 5 percent poor, 21 percent fair, 56 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Small grain seeding progressed early in the week. Spring wheat is 63 percent seeded, compared to the five-year average of 13 percent. Barley and oats seeded are also well ahead of the five-year average. There were several reports of fields needing to be re- seeded and/or fertilized due to the high winds. 


        CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       4     26      57     13
Winter Rye     0       5     21      56     18
Cattle         0       0      5      71     24
Sheep          0       0      3      61     36
Range & 
   Pasture     1       7     28      55      9

LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE:   Rains and ice settled the blowing dust of mid-week. While most pastures have not greened-up, ranchers have been able to move 11 percent of the cattle to pasture. Stock water is not a problem, with only 19 percent rated very short or short. Despite inclement weather, 95 percent of cattle are in good to excellent condition. Calving is 63 percent complete, with no disease-related problems reported. Lambing is 71 percent complete.

WEATHER:    Cool, dry weather has hampered producers this spring. Winter crops and weeds are slowly greening-up. Seed bed preparations and small grains emergence has been very slow. Livestock producers have had an ideal spring, but pastures are not ready for cattle to move to them. Cold nights generally covered the state last week. Statewide, temperatures ranged from 2 to 12 degrees below normal, with growing degree days since April 1 mostly behind normal. Average temperatures ranged from 34 degrees at Sisseton and Webster to 48 degrees at Vermillion. The lowest temperature, 15 degrees, was recorded at Lead. Vermillion, at 79 degrees, tied with Chamberlain for the warmest. Precipitation in the forms of rain, hail, ice, and snow were all reported this week. Greatest precipitation, 1.15 inches was received at Vermillion. 

             

      CROP PROGRESS - APRIL 9 1/
                                                                                                    
     This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
 
                         Percent
Barley  
 seeded            24      6     12      5
 emerged            1      0     NA     NA
Spring Wheat
 seeded            45     19     21      7
 emerged            5      3     NA     NA
Oats    
 seeded            32     14     21      6
 emerged            2      1     NA     NA
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.




               SOIL TEMPERATURES         
WEEK ENDING APRIL 16  (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      44              Gettysburg   45
Brookings      40              Nisland      44
Caputa         42              Pierre       46
Chamberlain    47              Redfield     40
Cottonwood     43              Watertown    37





             TEMPERATURE  | -----  PRECIPITATION -----   |GDD BASE 
             -----------  |      SINCE SINCE SINCE  SINCE|50F SINCE
            CURRENT WEEK  | CURR JAN 1 APR 1 JAN 1  APR 1|APRIL 1
STATION    AVG DFN  HI  LO| WEEK TOTAL TOTAL   DFN    DFN|OTAL DFN
-------     --  --  --  --|----- ----- ----- -----  -----|--------
Bison       42  -3  68  18| 0.16  2.78  0.25 -0.36  -0.87| 11   -4
Buffalo     38  -6  67  19| 0.36  1.19  0.44 -0.66  -0.19| 15   -1
Newell      37  -8  69  17| 0.30  1.96  0.40 -0.32  -0.34|  0  -16
Timber Lake 41  -5  72  19| 0.00  4.61  0.19 +1.57  -0.84|  9   -8
Aberdeen    36  -9  63  23| 0.09  2.48  0.31 -0.74  -0.67|  1  -19
Eureka      39  -6  65  21| 0.00  4.05  0.10 +1.46  -0.86|  0  -12
Faulkton    41  -3  73  23| 0.00  2.45  0.30 -0.77  -0.76|  9   -4
Mobridge    40  -5  69  22| 0.00  2.67  0.07 -0.34  -0.98|  4  -12
Britton     37  -9  61  21| 0.25  1.62  0.41 -1.01  -0.48|  1  -19
Sisseton    34 -12  58  22| 0.35  2.66  0.40 -0.96  -0.73|  0  -20
Webster     34 -10  64  19| 0.58  2.45  0.72 -0.78  -0.17|  0  -17
Watertown   36  -9  68  21| 0.28  1.81  0.44 -1.86  -0.64|  2  -11
Faith       39  -7  72  18| 0.00  3.16  0.29 +0.38  -0.63| 15   -5
Lead        38  -3  65  15| 0.38  8.40  2.01 +1.08  +0.03|  1   -5
Long Valley 41  -6  74  20| 0.37  4.51  0.63 +1.53  -0.42| 16   -5
Philip      41  -6  75  21| 0.23  2.60  0.50 +0.09  -0.33| 15   -8
Rapid City  39  -6  73  19| 0.32  4.09  0.41 +1.18  -0.51| 17   +2
Chamberlain 43  -6  79  22| 0.46  1.58  0.63 -1.25  -0.38| 13  -14
Highmore    43  -4  72  20| 0.20  2.28  0.65 -1.04  -0.53|  5  -14
Huron       43  -3  73  24| 0.06  1.60  0.50 -2.28  -0.57| 12  -10
Pierre      44  -3  76  24| 0.11  1.38  0.16 -1.74  -0.87| 20   -2
Brookings   38  -6  71  23| 0.42  2.91  0.70 -0.18  -0.35|  5   -6
Madison     40  -5  70  24| 0.61  2.65  0.76 -1.78  -0.49|  6   -8
Mitchell    42  -6  72  24| 0.20  3.88  0.55 -0.05  -0.68|  5  -18
Sioux Falls 44  -3  69  27| 0.42  3.82  1.16 -0.32  -0.12|  8  -13
Custer      37  -4  67  16| 0.44  1.58  0.46 -1.20  -0.40|  6   +2
Hot_Springs 43  -5  77  22| 0.25  2.43  0.25 +0.16  -0.49|  8  -20
Porcupine   40  -6  78  20| 0.18  4.59  0.25 +2.29  -0.53| 10   -5
Murdo       39  -6  73  20| 0.39  2.82  0.54 -0.60  -0.56|  6   -8
Winner      44  -6  78  20| 0.27  1.25  0.37 -2.98  -0.97| 23  -14
Armour      43  -6  73  23| 0.56  2.73  0.66 -1.40  -0.52| 17  -17
Vermillion  48  -3  79  28| 1.15  3.63  1.33 -0.23  +0.16| 26  -18
Yankton     46  -2  73  28| 1.14  4.28  1.39 +0.71  +0.38| 15  -11

bar chart showing crop progress compared to the last 10 years

                                     
 
 
 
South Dakota county map showing topsoil moisture South Dakota county map showing subsoil moisture

Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
 

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