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Released: June 5, 2000 -- 3:00 p. For Week Ending June 4, 2000 Volume 49 Issue 14

GENERAL:    Light to moderate rain and cool weather conditions covered most of the state, maintaining moisture supplies, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Rains during the week slowed most fieldwork and crop progress, as cool temperatures hindered crop development. Major activities by farmers and ranchers were planting row crops, spraying, working calves, moving cattle to pasture, and harvesting alfalfa. Statewide, there were 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

SOIL CONDITIONS:    Topsoil moisture improved from the prior week, with 90 percent of the state rated adequate or surplus, while areas reporting short or very short moisture decreased by 3 percentage points. Subsoil moisture conditions increased slightly across the state, with the area rated short or very short decreasing by 4 percentage points. 



   SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      1     2    2     2     3     0
Short       9    11    3    18    21     1
Adeq.      82    81   71    73    69    65
Surplus     8     6   24     7     7    34

CROPS:    Many farmers welcomed the rain, with most crops in fair to excellent condition. The sun would be a welcomed sight, as cool weather throughout the week slowed crop growth. Corn planted is 99 percent complete and 92 percent emerged, both ahead of last year. Average corn height of 6 inches increased only 1 inch over last week's mark of 5 inches, but is 4 inches ahead of the five-year average. Soybeans, at 94 percent planted and 70 percent emerged, are also well ahead of last year's numbers. Sorghum increased by 5 percentage points to 54 percent planted, and sunflower increased to 59 percent planted. Many reports said weeds may become a problem, as conditions were too wet to spray. 


       CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       2     18      53     27
Winter Rye     0       5     18      63     14
Alfalfa        1      11     27      51     10
Barley         0       0      7      75     18
Oats           0       1     11      71     17
Spring Wheat   0       1     10      65     24
Corn           1       2     11      68     18
Soybeans       0       2     13      69     16
Cattle         0       0      3      70     27
Sheep          0       0      2      61     37
Range & 
   Pasture     1       3     16      61     19

LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE:    Alfalfa weevil activity and cool weather are hurting alfalfa growth. Many producers cut hay early to limit weevil damage, but the rain during the week slowed most activity. First alfalfa cutting is 26 percent complete, up from 9 percent last week. Harvesting other hay is just getting underway in select parts of the state. Livestock are in fair to excellent condition. The rain improved and helped maintain feed supplies, pasture and range growth, and stock water supplies. Cattle moved to pasture are 92 percent complete.

WEATHER:    Statewide, temperatures for the past week ranged from 2 to 7 degrees below normal. Average temperatures ranged from 53 degrees at Custer to 67 degrees at Vermillion. The low for the week, 30 degrees, occurred at Custer, and the highs for the week were in the mid to lower 80's across the state. All stations reported at least some precipitation. The least amount was 0.05 inch in Phillip and the highest was 2.2 inches in Madison. 

             
     CROP PROGRESS - JUNE 4       1/
                                                                                                    
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM              Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 emerged           98     96     94     89
 boot              16      6      7      7
Spring Wheat
 boot              39     25      9     12
Oats    
 emerged           99     97     96     90
 boot              26     14     11     12
Corn    
 planted           99     97     90     83
 emerged           92     81     64     NA
 ave. height (in.)  6      5      4      2
 1st cult.         10      3      6      5
Sorghum 
 seeded            54     49     26     33
Soybeans
 planted           94     86     69     60
 emerged           70     50     32     NA
Sunflower
 seeded            59     41     43     36
Winter wheat
 boot              91     83     88     57
 headed            69     37     24     14
 turning color      0     NA      0      1
Winter rye
 boot              94     79     79     63
 headed            64     40     39     24
 turning color      0     NA      0     NA
Alfalfa  
 1st cutting       26      9     16      9
Other hay
 cut                2      0      0      1
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.









              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       56  -7  74  35| 0.35   8.39   5.86  +0.91  +0.40|   330   +26
Buffalo     55  -6  76  33| 0.33   5.86   5.11  +0.22  +0.69|   329   +54
Newell      55  -7  77  31| 0.51   6.94   5.38  +0.63  +0.61|   257   -33
Timber Lake 57  -7  76  37| 1.22   9.61   5.19  +2.11  -0.30|   338   -10
Aberdeen    60  -3  80  43| 1.03   8.18   6.01  +1.15  +1.22|   377    +7
Eureka      57  -5  76  39| 0.88   9.25   5.30  +2.88  +0.56|   358   +42
Faulkton    60  -3  81  42| 1.64   9.15   7.00  +1.72  +1.73|   444  +106
Mobridge    58  -6  80  36| 0.85   7.62   5.02  +0.53  -0.11|   331   -25
Britton     59  -5  74  46| 1.25   6.66   5.50  -0.13  +0.43|   400   +11
Sisseton    58  -6  75  40| 0.94   7.08   4.82  -1.02  -0.79|   357   -50
Webster     58  -5  75  45| 1.15   6.30   4.57  -1.21  -0.60|   353   -12
Watertown   60  -4  79  46| 1.68   6.63   5.26  -1.68  -0.46|   375   +18
Faith       58  -6  79  38| 1.58  11.04   8.17  +3.77  +2.76|   331   -19
Lead        55  -3  77  33| 0.35  15.14   8.75  +0.77  -0.28|   204   +45
Long Valley 60  -4  82  35| 0.21  10.05   6.17  +2.72  +0.77|   405   +25
Philip      60  -5  85  32| 0.05   6.91   4.81  +0.25  -0.17|   375   -29
Rapid City  58  -3  78  34| 0.18  13.03   9.35  +6.02  +4.33|   319   +33
Chamberlain 61  -5  83  43| 0.71   5.93   4.98  -1.20  -0.33|   403   -59
Highmore    60  -5  77  41| 1.68   8.53   6.90  +0.86  +1.37|   435   +43
Huron       62  -2  79  44| 1.95   8.42   7.32  +0.16  +1.87|   471   +81
Pierre      62  -3  84  40| 0.20   4.40   3.18  -3.16  -2.29|   508   +97
Brookings   60  -3  74  43| 2.05  11.18   8.97  +3.53  +3.36|   334   +21
Madisonh    61  -3  77  44| 2.20  11.11   9.22  +2.08  +3.37|   386   +22
Mitchell    63  -4  81  42| 0.75   9.39   6.06  +0.57  -0.06|   456    -7
Sioux Falls 62  -3  77  44| 0.69  11.27   8.61  +2.38  +2.58|   434   +22
Custer      53  -2  80  30| 0.12   6.63   5.51  -0.71  +0.09|   149   +17
Hot Springs 59  -4  80  36| 0.14   8.26   6.08  +1.82  +1.17|   338   -26
Porcupine   58  -5  84  33| 0.26  12.05   7.71  +5.58  +2.76|   310   -32
Murdo       60  -4  85  38| 0.35   8.56   6.28  +0.83  +0.87|   392   +23
Winner      62  -5  85  40| 0.23   7.66   6.78  -2.23  -0.22|   533   +16
Armour      62  -5  80  43| 0.41   8.17   6.10  -0.87  +0.01|   547   +45
Vermillion  67  -2  83  43| 0.59   7.98   5.68  -1.30  -0.91|   611   +40
Yankton     64  -2  85  45| 0.64   8.01   5.12  -0.85  -1.18|   524   +54
 
Precipitation (rain or melted snow/ice) in inches.
Air Temperatures in Degrees Fahrenheit.

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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