Released: May 28, 2002 -- 3:00 p.m. CST For Week Ending May 26, 2002 SD-CW2102 Volume 51 Issue 21

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:   Unseasonably cool, windy conditions did not slow planting progress last week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included row crop seeding, spraying and applying fertilizer, fixing fences, and moving cattle to pasture. Statewide, there were 6.0 days reported suitable for fieldwork last week. 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 yet another week across the state. Highs were mostly in the 70's and 80's, with lows in the 20's and 30's. Average temperatures were mainly in the 50's, which is 4 to 10 degrees below normal. Precipitation was scarce last week as some areas received no precipitation, while Custer reported the greatest amount at 0.32 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:   Soil moisture conditions declined from the previous week, as only small amounts of precipitation were reported. Topsoil moisture condition is now rated 37 percent short or very short, which is 13 percentage points higher than the previous week. Subsoil condition is rated 13 percent very short, 24 percent short, 57 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. The average soil temperature for the week was 56.8 degrees.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:   Cool temperatures continue to slow germination, but weather conditions have not affected planting progress. Soybeans are 69 percent planted, which is 40 percentage points higher than the previous week and 13 percentage points above average. Corn is 94 percent planted, ahead of both last year and average progress, but only 34 percent emerged, 15 points behind last year's rate. Sorghum is 21 percent and sunflower is 14 percent seeded, both behind last year's pace. Small grains are in mostly good to excellent condition. Barley is 76 percent emerged, oats 87 percent, and spring wheat 93 percent. Winter wheat in boot stage is reported at 42 percent, while winter rye in boot is at 30 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Cool weather and lack of precipitation have contributed to a decline in pasture and range condition. Range and pasture conditions are 6 percent very poor, 18 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 35 percent good, and 5 percent excellent. Livestock continue in mostly good to excellent condition. Calving is now 96 percent complete, and lambing is 95 percent complete. Cattle are 67 percent moved to pasture.

    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
           AS OF MAY 26, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      7     5    3    13     9     2
Short      30    19    9    24    21     8
Adeq.      60    73   69    57    67    69
Surplus     3     3   19     6     3    21



                              
        CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
               AS OF MAY 26, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   3      11     33      45      8
Winter Rye     0      11     29      49     11
Spring Wheat   4       3     36      48      9
Barley         3       4     39      47      7
Oats           1       4     34      52      9
Corn           5       8     31      50      6
Cattle         0       1     11      69     19
Sheep          1       2     11      66     20
Range & 
   Pasture     6      18     36      35      5



           CROP PROGRESS AS OF MAY 26, 2002   1/
                                                        
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley      
 seeded              99     95     97      96
 emerged             76     59     85      83
Spring Wheat
 seeded             100     98     98      98
 emerged             93     79     88      88
 boot                 1      0      0      NA 
Oats        
 seeded              99     96     97      97
 emerged             87     70     86      83
 boot                 1      0      0      NA 
Corn        
 planted             94     79     84      84
 emerged             34     11     49      NA
Sorghum     
 seeded              21     12     29      29
Soybeans    
 planted             69     29     46      56
 emerged              6      1     12      NA
Sunflower
 seeded              14      5     15      23 
Winter Wheat
 boot                42     15     29      53
 headed               0      0      1      10 
Winter Rye  
 boot                30     19     31      52
 headed               5      0      0      14
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage. 

     

    SOIL TEMPERATURES  WEEK ENDING MAY 26, 2002
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION  TEMP
          
Beresford      58              Gettysburg   57
Brookings      53              Nisland      56
Caputa         59              Pierre       58
Chamberlain    61              Redfield     55
Cottonwood     58              Watertown    52


 
                TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, and GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        FOR WEEK ENDING SUNDAY MAY 26, 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       54  -5  80  27| 0.00   1.95   1.36  -4.53  -3.16|   131   -65
Buffalo     52  -6  80  30| 0.03   1.45   1.08  -3.21  -2.40|   110   -68
Dupree      55  -6  80  32| 0.00   2.20   1.58  -3.84  -2.77|   151   -85
McIntosh    54  -6  78  27| 0.00   1.96   1.17  -3.49  -2.81|   119   -92
Newell      49  -9  75  24| 0.05   3.59   2.36  -1.72  -1.45|   105   -83
Timber Lake 55  -5  76  29| 0.00   2.17   1.35  -4.25  -3.11|   147   -83
Aberdeen    53  -7  81  28| 0.04   3.67   2.83  -2.42  -1.08|   142  -106
Eureka      55  -4  78  26| 0.00   2.55   1.90  -2.88  -1.95|   147   -58
Faulkton    54  -6  80  26| 0.05   3.89   2.60  -2.51  -1.70|   158   -62
Mobridge    54  -7  77  24| 0.00   1.47   1.29  -4.65  -2.93|   169   -66
Roscoe      51  -9  77  28| 0.07   2.59   1.75  -3.75  -2.67|    91  -137
Britton     56  -5  82  25| 0.04   3.15   2.39  -2.56  -1.61|   181   -81
Clear Lake  51 -10  75  32| 0.00   6.93   3.99  -0.68  -0.71|   109  -134 
Sisseton    52  -9  81  26| 0.04   4.83   4.61  -2.27  -0.06|   149  -126
Webster     53  -8  79  33| 0.10   5.74   4.89  -0.71  +0.73|   120  -121
Watertown   51  -9  78  25| 0.08   3.31   2.60  -3.88  -2.06|   141   -91
Faith       53  -7  82  28| 0.00   1.60   1.41  -4.61  -2.99|   135   -97
Milesville  55  -6  82  26| 0.00   4.36   2.76  -2.18  -1.86|   172   -96
Long Valley 55  -6  79  26| 0.05   2.75   2.46  -3.52  -1.94|   214   -39
Philip      54  -7  84  25| 0.01   2.80   2.41  -2.86  -1.61|   219   -51
Rapid City  52  -6  80  23| 0.04   4.54   3.62  -1.47  -0.45|   153   -31
Spearfish   52  -5  78  28| 0.00   4.88   2.74  -3.70  -3.05|   148   -23
Chamberlain 53 -10  81  30| 0.03   4.61   2.89  -1.61  -1.56|   153  -162
Highmore    56  -5  79  29| 0.00   2.43   2.03  -4.24  -2.57|   206   -55
Huron       54  -7  82  29| 0.13   4.02   2.61  -3.17  -1.83|   224   -35
Onida       52  -9  78  27| 0.07   2.08   1.46  -4.47  -2.76|   155  -119
Pierre      54  -7  79  27| 0.00   1.83   1.35  -4.62  -3.06|   198   -77
Brookings   52  -8  78  30| 0.00   6.81   3.94  +0.43  -0.46|   132   -68
Madison     52  -8  80  29| 0.19   3.36   2.09  -4.53  -2.69|   145   -94
Mitchell    53 -10  82  32| 0.22   4.60   2.30  -3.03  -2.70|   184  -131
Sioux Falls 54  -7  76  31| 0.10   5.13   3.30  -2.66  -1.70|   242   -33
Custer      45  -8  68  23| 0.32   5.54   4.04  -0.74  -0.36|    32   -44
Hot Springs 52  -7  77  25| 0.30   5.96   3.55  +0.51  -0.41|   156   -91
Oelrichs    51  -9  80  24| 0.16   5.64   3.17  -0.71  -1.26|   162   -86
Porcupine   52  -8  80  21| 0.00   5.56   3.89  +0.09  -0.10|   148   -72
Murdo       54  -7  78  28| 0.00   3.23   1.94  -3.50  -2.53|   165   -76
Winner      58  -5  79  28| 0.00   5.50   3.90  -3.14  -1.91|   293   -67
Armour      58  -6  83  33| 0.10   4.34   3.31  -3.46  -1.61|   281   -67
Centerville 54  -8  78  37| 0.19   5.29   4.24  -2.55  -0.82|   212   -93
Marion      53  -9  79  33| 0.14   5.17   3.69  -2.93  -1.42|   174  -103
Pickstown   56  -7  82  31| 0.01   5.24   4.12  -1.99  -0.62|   217   -91
Vermillion  59  -6  84  35| 0.12   5.48   4.36  -2.50  -0.99|   360   -45
Yankton     55  -8  84  34| 0.23   5.94   3.92  -1.60  -1.11|   216  -104
Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.
Growing Degree Day values calculated using standard corn formula with no temperature caps.