Released: April 7, 2002 -- 3:00 p.m. CST For Month Ending April 7, 2002 SD-CW1402 Volume 51 Issue 14

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   The week ending April 7 brought below normal temperatures and precipitation across the state, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included caring for newborn calves and lambs, hauling grain and seed, spreading fertilizer, mending fences, and preparing farm machinery for spring planting season. Producers are anticipating little to no fieldwork for at least one more week. Statewide, there were only 1.7 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:  For the week ending April 7, temperatures averaged 35.2 degrees, 6.4 degrees below normal. A high of 83 degrees was reported in Philip and a low of 0 degrees was reported in Faulkton. Statewide precipitation totals since January averaged 1.31 inches, which is 1.26 inches below normal. Total precipitation for April for the whole state only accumulated a trace. Most precipitation in April was reported by the Spearfish station at 0.63 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:   Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 37.4 degrees, compared to 33.5 degrees the last week of March. Topsoil moisture is reported at 6 percent very short, 26 percent short, 64 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is 8 percent very short, 28 percent short, 62 percent adequate, and 2 surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   Little has been reported in the way of spring field activity, due to cold temperatures and wet fields. Winter wheat progress is reported at 14 percent breaking dormancy, up 11 points from the previous week. Winter rye is at 2 percent breaking dormancy. Winter wheat condition is at 81 percent fair to excellent, a slight improvement from last week's 80 percent. Producers are anticipating an April 16 start date for fieldwork.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Calving and lambing are still progressing despite unfavorable weather conditions, with 45 percent of calving complete and 59 percent of lambing done. Calf deaths are reported at 26 percent below average, 69 percent average, and 5 percent above average. Sheep and lamb deaths are also reported at mostly average to below average. Very few cattle have been moved to pasture due to low resources.

               AS OF APRIL 7, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      6     5    0     8     7     1
Short      26    23    2    28    31    13
Adeq.      64    67   65    62    57    67
Surplus     4     5   33     2     5    19

                              
           CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
               AS OF APRIL 7, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   3      16     37      42      2
Winter Rye     0      11     36      52      1
Cattle         0       2     12      68     18
Sheep          0       1     12      70     17
Range & 
   Pasture     8      12     32      45      3



                  CROP PROGRESS AS OF APRIL 7, 2002   1/
                                                                                     
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley      
 seeded               0      0      0       7
Oats        
 seeded               1      0      0      10
Spring Wheat
 seeded               1      1      1      13
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage. 

     

               SOIL TEMPERATURES  WEEK ENDING APRIL 7, 2002 
                              (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP
          
Beresford      41              Gettysburg   36
Brookings      32              Nisland      38
Caputa         41              Pierre       37
Chamberlain    42              Redfield     37
Cottonwood     41              Watertown    29

 
             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       34  -6  74   7  0.00   0.59   0.00  -1.81  -0.44      0    -5
Buffalo     33  -8  67   4  0.00   0.37   0.00  -1.04  -0.23      0    -7
Dupree      36  -6  75  11  0.00   0.62   0.00  -1.42  -0.35      3    -4
Mc Intosh   33  -7  72   8  0.00   0.79   0.00  -1.03  -0.35      0    -4
Newell      35  -5  77   6  0.00   1.23   0.00  -0.55  -0.28      8    +1
Timber Lake 34  -6  74   7  0.00   0.82   0.00  -1.55  -0.41      4    -3
Aberdeen    31  -9  66  11  0.05   0.89   0.05  -1.71  -0.37      0    -7
Eureka      34  -5  69  10  0.02   0.67   0.02  -1.29  -0.36      0    -2
Faulkton    32  -7  68   0  0.00   1.29   0.00  -1.23  -0.42      0    -3
Mobridge    34  -6  76  11  0.00   0.18   0.00  -2.14  -0.42      2    -5
Roscoe      30 -10  69   8  0.00   0.84   0.00  -1.55  -0.47      0    -7
Britton     32  -9  58  10  0.12   0.88   0.12  -1.17  -0.22      0    -7
Clear Lake  29 -11  55  11  0.07   6.61   0.07  +3.21  -0.42      0    -3
Sisseton    28 -13  59   6  0.00   0.22   0.00  -2.66  -0.45      0    -7
Webster     29 -10  57   9  0.20   1.05   0.20  -1.59  -0.15      0    -6
Watertown   31  -9  58  13  0.01   0.72   0.01  -2.25  -0.43      0    -3
Faith       35  -6  74  12  0.00   0.19   0.00  -1.97  -0.35      3    -4
Milesville  38  -5  78  14  0.15   1.75   0.15  -0.52  -0.20      7    +0
Long Valley 40  -3  75   9  0.00   0.29   0.00  -2.00  -0.42     12    +5
Philip      38  -6  83  10  0.00   0.39   0.00  -1.58  -0.33     13    +6
Rapid City  37  -4  81   8  0.00   0.92   0.00  -1.38  -0.36     12    +7
Spearfish   35  -6  76   8  0.63   2.77   0.63  -0.55  +0.10      7    +0
Chamberlain 37  -7  70  15  0.00   1.72   0.00  -0.46  -0.41      3    -4
Highmore    36  -6  69  13  0.00   0.40   0.00  -2.14  -0.47      0    -7
Huron       37  -5  67  15  0.06   1.47   0.06  -1.71  -0.37      4    -3
Onida       38  -4  73  12  0.00   0.62   0.00  -2.13  -0.42      6    -1
Pierre      37  -6  76  13  0.00   0.48   0.00  -1.97  -0.41      8    +1
Brookings   32  -8  59  14  0.00   2.87   0.00  +0.47  -0.42      0    -1
Madison     34  -6  62  13  0.00   1.27   0.00  -2.36  -0.52      0    -4
Mitchell    36  -8  66  15  0.00   2.30   0.00  -0.83  -0.50      0    -7
Sioux Falls 37  -6  63  15  0.00   1.83   0.00  -1.49  -0.53      6    -1
Custer      33  -5  67   1  0.05   1.55   0.05  -0.66  -0.28      3    +3
Hot Springs 41  -3  78   5  0.07   2.48   0.07  +0.71  -0.21     14    +5
Oelrichs    38  -6  77   9  0.04   2.51   0.04  +0.24  -0.31      8    +1
Porcupine   35  -6  81   1  0.36   2.03   0.36  +0.25  +0.06      9    +4
Murdo       35  -6  74  10  0.00   1.29   0.00  -1.43  -0.46      6    +2
Winner      40  -5  69  12  0.00   1.60   0.00  -1.77  -0.54      6    -7
Armour      41  -3  65  17  0.00   1.03   0.00  -2.34  -0.49      4    -8
Centerville 37  -6  65  13  0.00   1.05   0.00  -2.18  -0.45      0    -7
Marion      35  -7  62  15  0.00   1.48   0.00  -2.07  -0.56      0    -7
Pickstown   36  -7  65  18  0.00   1.12   0.00  -1.88  -0.51      0    -7
Vermillion  41  -5  67  15  0.00   1.12   0.00  -2.00  -0.49      0   -14
Yankton     39  -5  65  12  0.05   2.07   0.05  -0.86  -0.37      0    -7

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