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Released: May 7, 2001 -- 3:00 p.m. CST For Week Ending May 6, 2001 SD-CW1801 Volume 50 Issue 18

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Strong winds helped dry fields and allowed planting to resume, until rains received late in the week halted most producers, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included planting small grain and row crops, fertilizing and tilling fields, and preparing calves for pasture. Statewide, there were 3.8 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:   Warm temperatures and strong winds allowed producers to get a good start on planting last week. Temperatures ranged from a high of 91 degrees in Pierre to a low of 27 degrees in Custer, with a statewide average of 57 degrees, 4 degrees above normal. Precipitation totals averaged 1.13 inches for the week and 4.9 inches since April 1, which is 2.3 inches above normal.

SOIL CONDITION:    Across areas of the state not af fected by flooding, planting quickly resumed, with some producers starting on row crops. Soil tempera tures warmed to an average of 54.9 degrees. Topsoil moisture was reported as 56 percent adequate, 42 percent surplus and 2 percent short. Subsoil moisture was rated as 35 percent surplus, 61 percent adequate, and 4 percent short.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Windy, drying conditions allowed spring planting to progress, with 54 percent of spring wheat, 44 percent of barley, and 48 percent of the oats seeded. Row crop planting is beginning, with 13 percent of the corn and 2 percent of the soybeans done. Rains received late in the week slowed or halted most fieldwork. All planting progress is running behind the five-year average. Winter wheat condition is reported as 47 percent fair to excellent and 53 percent poor to very poor.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Calving and lambing are nearing completion, with 87 percent of the calving and 89 percent of the lambing done. Muddy feedlots and lack of sunshine are noted as causing above normal calf disease and death loss. Cattle were rated 95 percent in fair to excellent condi tion, with 5 percent rated in poor to very poor condi tion. Sheep were rated at 82 percent in good to excellent condition and 18 percent fair to poor. Feed supplies were rated 8 percent very short, 21 percent short, 66 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Stock water supplies were reported as 98 percent adequate or surplus and 2 percent short. Ranchers are branding and turning out cattle and calves to pasture to get them out of sloppy feedlots.



  SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
            AS OF MAY 6, 2001 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      0     0    5     0     0     6
Short       2     1   25     4     3    31
Adeq.      56    58   64    61    60    57
Surplus    42    41    6    35    37     6



  SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING MAY 6, 2001
              (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      57              Gettysburg   55
Brookings      54              Nisland      55
Caputa         52              Pierre       56
Chamberlain    57              Redfield     54
Cottonwood     57              Watertown    50
                            



     CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
          AS OF MAY 6, 2001 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat  30      23     27      18      2
Winter Rye     5      10     35      41      9
Cattle         1       4     19      61     15
Sheep          0       1     17      66     16
Range & 
   Pasture     2      10     32      47      9






     CROP PROGRESS AS OF MAY 6, 2001   1/
                                                                              
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 seeded            44     17     89     58
 emerged           17      2     67     30
Spring wheat
 seeded            54     28     94     70
 emerged           21      5     74     37
Oats     
 seeded            48     22     88     63
 emerged           17      1     60     32
Corn        
 seeded            13      3     57     28
 emerged            0      0      7     NA
Sorghum     
 seeded             0      0      5      4
Soybeans    
 seeded             2      0     16      5
 emerged            0      0      1     NA
Winter wheat
 boot               8      1      9     18
Winter rye  
 boot               3      0      5      8

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       53  +2  74  36| 0.47   3.99   2.88  -0.68  +0.17|   114   +48
Buffalo     51  +1  75  35| 0.03   2.47   1.83  -0.47  +0.07|    94   +33
Dupree      55  +3  74  39| 0.82   4.27   2.82  +0.17  +0.41|   138   +56
Mc Intosh   53  +3  76  35| 0.40   2.86   2.25  -0.91  -0.05|   122   +53
Newell      49  -3  70  32| 0.55   3.43   1.88  -0.12  -0.17|    75    +9
Timber Lake 55  +3  74  39| 0.70   4.51   2.83  -0.03  +0.25|   136   +57
Aberdeen    60  +8  81  47| 0.83   6.11   4.26  +1.56  +1.89|   137   +50
Eureka      57  +6  76  42| 1.25   5.35   4.40  +1.43  +2.06|   138   +74
Faulkton    59  +8  82  45| 1.30   8.12   5.16  +3.44  +2.58|   157   +87
Mobridge    57  +6  84  37| 0.75   3.23   2.68  -1.24  +0.11|   147   +70
Roscoe      57  +6  83  43| 1.15   5.77   4.31  +1.09  +1.55|   110   +33
Britton     58  +6  83  39| 1.63   6.34   4.85  +2.36  +2.58|   127   +36
Clear Lake  58  +6  81  45| 1.00  10.21   6.61  +4.51  +3.82|   122   +46
Sisseton    59  +7  82  41| 1.02   5.39   4.26  +0.16  +1.46|   123   +27
Webster     56  +5  72  45| 1.50   5.42   4.30  +0.81  +1.98|   118   +38
Watertown   58  +7  81  41| 1.12   8.04   7.06  +2.80  +4.35|   130   +57
Faith       54  +3  74  37| 0.42   2.10   1.55  -2.17  -0.91|   130   +47
Milesville  55  +2  74  42| 0.75   4.56   2.65  +0.23  +0.24|   150   +49
Long Valley 54  +1  72  41| 1.12   7.15   4.55  +2.69  +1.96|   137   +47
Philip      57  +4  84  43| 0.72   2.82   2.36  -1.02  +0.16|   166   +67
Rapid City  51  +0  72  33| 0.62   3.62   2.78  -0.68  +0.42|   101   +39
Spearfish   51  +0  87  31| 0.61   5.03   2.26  -1.13  -1.11|    94   +34
Chamberlain 60  +6  89  46| 1.59  11.60   8.69  +7.27  +6.13|   157   +41
Highmore    59  +6  77  46| 1.45   6.76   5.64  +1.89  +2.84|   168   +79
Huron       60  +8  84  46| 1.07  10.90   7.34  +5.58  +4.77|   165   +73
Onida       56  +3  75  42| 1.01   5.96   4.04  +1.10  +1.51|   155   +61
Pierre      62  +9  91  46| 0.69   7.11   4.42  +2.51  +1.86|   211  +113
Brookings   58  +8  81  44| 1.35   8.97   6.93  +4.44  +4.38|   117   +56
Madison     59  +7  87  44| 1.21   9.01   6.94  +3.01  +4.05|   137   +60
Mitchell    61  +7  84  49| 1.76  11.41   7.89  +5.80  +4.91|   170   +59
Sioux Falls 60  +7  82  47| 1.43  11.18   8.22  +5.33  +5.16|   173   +77
Custer      45  -2  68  27| 1.01   4.79   3.15  +0.51  +0.75|    49   +26
Hot Springs 50  -4  73  35| 0.15   4.04   2.18  +0.44  +0.07|    88   -12
Oelrichs    50  -4  79  36| 1.38   5.96   3.24  +1.56  +0.76|    89    -5
Porcupine   53  +2  82  37| 0.61   6.37   3.58  +2.75  +1.44|   111   +39
Murdo       57  +5  86  43| 0.91   6.75   4.64  +1.83  +1.98|   149   +72
Winner      59  +3  75  46| 2.84  11.84   9.04  +5.62  +5.65|   195   +54
Armour      62  +7  83  49| 1.90  11.21   8.11  +5.45  +5.23|   186   +53
Centerville 61  +6  84  48| 2.33   9.72   7.20  +4.10  +4.36|   174   +67
Marion      60  +7  83  48| 2.04  11.48   8.01  +5.37  +4.89|   148   +58
Pickstown   61  +7  84  49| 1.59  12.81   9.22  +7.49  +6.39|   179   +69
Vermillion  63  +7  88  49| 1.78  10.42   8.16  +4.81  +5.18|   234   +70
Yankton     63  +9  86  50| 1.72   9.93   6.26  +4.82  +3.66|   201   +85  
                                     
    
 


Map to weather reporting stations


 
 
 
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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