Released: May 6, 2002 -- 3:00 p.m. CST For Week Ending May 5, 2002 SD-CW1802 Volume 51 Issue 18

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   Producers continue to move ahead with spring planting, however cool temperatures have slowed crop emergence, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. A mixed bag of weather conditions brought scattered precipitation, wind, and below-normal temperatures to the state last week. Major farm activities included preparing equipment for row crop seeding, small grain seeding, and moving cattle to pasture. Statewide, there were 4.5 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:  Below-average temperatures were reported for the second week in a row across the entire state. Temperatures averaged 48.1 degrees, 5.2 degrees below normal. Vermillion reported the high for the week at 82 degrees, while Bison recorded the low at 17 degrees. Nearly all reporting stations reported precipitation, either in the form of rain or snow. Winner received the greatest amount of moisture with 1.22 inches recorded. Most stations are reporting below- average moisture levels so far this year.

SOIL CONDITION:   Average soil temperatures for the week were 50.1 degrees. Scattered precipitation fell, in the form of snow and rain, across the state last week. The additional moisture was needed, however, little improvement was seen in average topsoil and subsoil moisture readings for the state. Topsoil moisture is now at 7 percent very short, 23 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is 10 percent very short, 27 percent short, 60 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   Small grain seeding advanced last week, but cool temperatures have slowed emergence. Barley, oats, and spring wheat plantings are all well ahead of last year and the five-year average. Barley is 65 percent planted and 22 percent emerged. Oats are 75 percent planted and 32 percent emerged. Spring wheat is 84 percent seeded and 31 percent emerged. Winter wheat condition is rated at 59 percent good to excellent. Corn planted is at 33 percent, well ahead of last year's 12 percent planted and the average of 23 percent planted. One percent of the corn is reported as emerged. Soybeans are reported at 3 percent planted, compared to 2 percent last year and the five-year average of 4 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Producers continue to move cattle as pastures slowly green up. Cattle moved to pasture are reported at 26 percent complete. Range and pasture condition shows little change from a week ago at 4 percent very poor, 13 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 42 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Cattle producers are still very concerned about the lack of fresh stock water. The stock water shortage is very evident in the northwest portion of the state. Feed supplies are 84 percent adequate to surplus. Calving is 86 percent complete, while lambing is 88 percent complete. Livestock remain in mostly good to excellent condition.

    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
           AS OF MAY 5, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      7     5    0    10     9     0
Short      23    21    2    27    28     4
Adeq.      67    71   56    60    60    61
Surplus     3     3   42     3     3    35



                              
        CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
               AS OF MAY 5, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   2       9     30      50      9
Winter Rye     0       7     36      48      9
Cattle         0       1     10      71     18
Sheep          0       1      8      70     21
Range & 
   Pasture     4      13     36      42      5




           CROP PROGRESS AS OF MAY 5, 2002   1/
                                                        
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent

Winter Wheat
 boot                 1      0      7      19
Winter Rye  
 boot                 1      0      3       7
 headed               0      0      0       3
Barley      
 seeded              65     47     40      56
 emerged             22      9     15      30
Oats        
 seeded              75     56     44      59
 emerged             32     13     15      31
Spring Wheat
 seeded              84     61     50      66
 emerged             31     13     19      37
Corn        
 planted             33     11     12      23
 emerged              1      0      0      NA
Soybeans
 seeded               3      0      2       4 

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

    SOIL TEMPERATURES  WEEK ENDING MAY 5, 2002
                 (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION  TEMP
          
Beresford      54              Gettysburg  50
Brookings      46              Nisland     50
Caputa         52              Pierre      51
Chamberlain    53              Redfield    51
Cottonwood     52              Watertown   41




 
                TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, and GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        FOR WEEK ENDING SUNDAY MAY 5, 2002  

                                                                                             
             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       43  -8  75  17| 0.46   1.42   0.83  -3.16  -1.79|    54    -8
Buffalo     46  -5  72  25| 0.17   1.04   0.67  -1.88  -1.07|    46   -11
Dupree      48  -5  78  22| 0.05   1.51   0.89  -2.50  -1.43|    67   -10
Mc Intosh   47  -4  78  22| 0.15   1.66   0.87  -2.03  -1.35|    53   -11
Newell      47  -5  76  29| 0.86   2.67   1.44  -0.80  -0.53|    55    -7
Timber Lake 48  -5  76  23| 0.00   1.74   0.92  -2.71  -1.57|    76    +2
Aberdeen    45  -9  76  21| 0.11   2.06   1.22  -2.42  -1.08|    71   -11
Eureka      48  -4  77  23| 0.07   1.68   1.03  -2.17  -1.24|    77   +17
Faulkton    48  -5  78  24| 0.16   2.66   1.37  -1.94  -1.13|    81   +16
Mobridge    48  -5  78  24| 0.11   0.93   0.75  -3.46  -1.74|    86   +14
Roscoe      45  -8  79  22| 0.07   1.78   0.94  -2.82  -1.74|    47   -25
Britton     48  -6  75  20| 0.11   1.56   0.80  -2.34  -1.39|    99   +14
Clear Lake  45  -8  69  23| 0.04   5.34   2.40  -0.27  -0.30|    66    -5
Sisseton    45  -8  76  27| 0.07   1.86   1.64  -3.28  -1.07|    82    -8
Webster     46  -7  73  26| 0.10   2.83   1.98  -1.70  -0.26|    72    -3
Watertown   45  -8  70  24| 0.08   1.79   1.08  -3.36  -1.54|    83   +15
Faith       48  -5  78  27| 0.27   0.85   0.66  -3.33  -1.71|    64   -14
Milesville  50  -4  77  30| 0.67   3.85   2.25  -0.38  -0.06|    90    -5
Long Valley 52  -2  76  27| 0.57   2.05   1.76  -2.33  -0.75|   124   +39
Philip      51  -3  78  31| 0.73   2.03   1.64  -1.73  -0.48|   118   +25
Rapid City  48  -4  75  28| 0.50   3.39   2.47  -0.83  +0.19|    84   +26
Spearfish   47  -3  70  26| 1.07   4.50   2.36  -1.55  -0.90|    70   +13
Chamberlain 48  -8  76  26| 0.73   3.71   1.99  -0.53  -0.48|    83   -26
Highmore    50  -4  78  21| 0.21   1.80   1.40  -2.99  -1.32|   110   +27
Huron       49  -4  75  26| 0.00   2.99   1.58  -2.25  -0.91|   135   +48
Onida       49  -5  80  22| 0.09   1.44   0.82  -3.34  -1.63|    81    -7
Pierre      50  -4  80  27| 0.32   1.38   0.90  -3.14  -1.58|   108   +16
Brookings   46  -6  69  27| 0.02   4.22   1.35  -0.23  -1.12|    79   +22
Madison     47  -6  70  20| 0.00   2.57   1.30  -3.34  -1.50|    88   +16
Mitchell    49  -6  73  29| 0.35   3.73   1.43  -1.79  -1.46|   114   +10
Sioux Falls 48  -6  69  27| 0.13   4.33   2.50  -1.43  -0.47|   156   +66
Custer      42  -4  73  21| 0.72   4.04   2.54  -0.15  +0.23|    20    -2
Hot Springs 51  -3  74  26| 0.86   4.45   2.04  +0.93  +0.01|   101    +6
Oelrichs    49  -5  76  25| 0.75   4.45   1.98  +0.14  -0.41|   109   +20
Porcupine   48  -4  77  28| 1.20   4.39   2.72  +0.85  +0.66|    80   +13
Murdo       49  -4  78  27| 0.65   2.74   1.45  -2.10  -1.13|    88   +16
Winner      54  -3  77  28| 1.22   4.58   2.98  -1.52  -0.29|   171   +38
Armour      53  -3  80  28| 0.51   3.72   2.69  -1.95  -0.10|   166   +41
Centerville 49  -7  70  27| 0.35   3.56   2.51  -1.96  -0.23|   126   +26
Marion      48  -7  71  27| 0.26   3.81   2.33  -2.21  -0.70|   106   +22
Pickstown   50  -5  73  28| 0.68   4.52   3.40  -0.72  +0.65|   131   +28
Vermillion  54  -3  82  29| 0.50   3.80   2.68  -1.71  -0.20|   227   +72
Yankton     49  -7  72  27| 0.56   4.63   2.61  -0.46  +0.03|   133   +24                                     
Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.