Released: September 9, 2002 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending September 8, 2002 SD-CW3602 Volume 51 Issue 36

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Above normal temperatures and spotty showers moved across the state again last week, speeding up crop progress, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included cutting hay, spraying, fixing fences, working summer fallow, preparing for harvesting, working calves, and moving cattle to market. Statewide, there were 6.4 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:   Above normal temperatures covered the state last week. Average temperatures were in the mid 70's, with a low of 42 in Centerville and a high of 105 in Philip. Precipitation was light across the state, with some areas reporting no precipitation while other areas reported an average of 0.16 inch. Chamberlain received the most rain, with 0.56 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil moisture conditions show slightly drier conditions from the previous week, while subsoil moisture virtually remained unchanged from last week. Topsoil moisture is rated 27 percent very short, 29 percent short, 43 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated 34 percent very short, 33 percent short, 32 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Corn is 97 percent in the dough stage, 76 percent dented, and 24 percent rated mature. This is similar to last year but ahead of average progress. Due to dry conditions, there were some reports of corn already being harvested for grain. Soybeans are at 44 percent dropping leaves and 8 percent mature. Sorghum is 79 percent turning color, 18 percent mature, and 4 percent harvested for grain. Sunflower are 78 percent with ray flowers dry, 53 percent have bracts yellowing, and 7 percent rated mature. Silage harvest continues, with corn silage 41 percent harvested and sorghum silage 43 percent harvested. Winter wheat planted is at 14 percent and emerged at 2 percent. Winter rye is 22 percent planted and 2 percent emerged.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Alfalfa harvest continues with third cutting 66 percent harvested, up 10 points from the previous week. Livestock remain in mostly fair to good condition, while range and pastures remain in mostly very poor to poor condition. The livestock feed and water supply comparison table was added to show current drought conditions.

     FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2002 

              FEED        STOCK WATER 
            SUPPLIES        SUPPLIES 
        This  Last 5-Yr.   This  Last  5-Yr.
RATING   Year  Year  Ave.    Year  Year   Ave.

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     33     4    NA     36      5     6
Short      33    18    NA     26     20    12
Adeq.      33    73    NA     36     71    74
Surplus     1     5    NA      2      5     8



    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     27    19    34     34     32    23
Short      29    30    46     33     33    50
Adeq.      43    47    20     32     32    27
Surplus     1     4     0      1      3     0



    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Corn          20      16     27      30      7
Soybeans       9      15     28      41      7
Alfalfa       41      21     25      12      1
Sorghum       31      31     27      11      0
Sunflower     28      20     38      13      1
Cattle         6      10     31      46      7
Sheep          6       8     23      59      4
Range & 
   Pasture    36      27     23      13      1



    CROP PROGRESS AS OF SEPTEMBER 8, 2002  1/
                                                       
                                                                           
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn          
 dough               97     93     96      94
 dented              76     57     79      71
 mature              24     17     19      17
 silage harvested    41     28     43      27
Sorghum      
 coloring            79     64     81      71
 mature              18      6     19      16
 grain harvested      4      0      1       2
 silage harvested    43     36     34      18
Soybeans    
 dropping leaves     44     26     40      33
 mature               8      2     11       9
Sunflower   
 ray flowers dry     78     56     87      78
 bracts yellow       53     35     56      56
 mature               7      1      7       9
Winter Wheat
 seeded              14      7      9      13
 emerged              2      0      1       3 
Winter Rye  
 seeded              22      9      8      15  
 emerged              2      0      0       7 
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         66     56     52      46 
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage. 



                 TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, and GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                           WEEK ENDING SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 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       75 +13  99  53| 0.25   6.36   5.77  -7.63  -6.26|  2490  +344
Buffalo     76 +14 101  54| 0.00   4.91   4.54  -6.38  -5.57|  2397  +358
Dupree      79 +15 101  53| 0.23   6.43   5.81  -7.33  -6.26|  2667  +312
Mc Intosh   75 +13 100  49| 0.08   6.63   5.84  -6.93  -6.25|  2420  +223
Newell      75 +12  99  51| 0.00   8.27   7.04  -3.99  -3.72|  2398  +262
Timber Lake 78 +15  99  53| 0.05   7.31   6.49  -7.30  -6.16|  2577  +337
Aberdeen    75 +13  96  44| 0.00  12.86  12.02  -2.27  -0.93|  2462  +203
Eureka      78 +15  98  48| 0.05  12.46  11.81  -1.43  -0.50|  2578  +468
Faulkton    75 +13  97  49| 0.00  15.18  13.89  -0.08  +0.73|  2595  +383
Mobridge    80 +16 102  51| 0.00   6.75   6.57  -7.09  -5.37|  2720  +419
Roscoe      74 +11  97  54| 0.01  10.57   9.73  -4.94  -3.86|  2312   +95
Britton     79 +16  96  49| 0.00  10.00   9.24  -5.14  -4.19|  2661  +358
Clear Lake  74 +11  93  51| 0.06  14.83  11.89  -4.23  -4.26|  2324  +104
Sisseton    77 +13  97  54| 0.09  16.24  16.02  -0.55  +1.66|  2359    +9
Webster     76 +13  94  54| 0.26  17.62  16.77  +0.61  +2.05|  2432  +223
Watertown   74 +11  93  49| 0.00  13.59  12.88  -4.03  -2.21|  2430  +202
Faith       78 +13 100  53| 0.25   7.08   6.89  -6.69  -5.07|  2604  +263
Milesville  80 +14 103  56| 0.00   7.98   6.38  -6.80  -6.48|  2874  +381
Long Valley 79 +13 100  61| 0.00   3.91   3.62 -11.18  -9.60|  2945  +486
Philip      82 +16 105  57| 0.00   5.35   4.96  -7.97  -6.72|  2980  +414
Rapid City  77 +14 100  52| 0.33   7.71   6.79  -5.92  -4.90|  2636  +520
Spearfish   76 +14  99  57| 0.00   9.54   7.40  -8.11  -7.46|  2460  +441
Chamberlain 78 +11 101  55| 0.56  11.32   9.60  -3.25  -3.20|  2801  +100
Highmore    79 +14 100  53| 0.00  13.04  12.64  -3.12  -1.45|  2764  +321
Huron       78 +14 101  48| 0.00  10.12   8.71  -6.06  -4.72|  2864  +453
Onida       78 +13 101  48| 0.10  11.00  10.38  -4.14  -2.43|  2688  +174
Pierre      80 +14 104  48| 0.01  11.55  11.07  -3.67  -2.11|  2845  +263
Brookings   73 +12  93  49| 0.00  18.88  16.01  +0.70  -0.19|  2384  +366
Madison     72  +9  92  45| 0.00  12.00  10.73  -6.77  -4.93|  2493  +289
Mitchell    77 +11 101  48| 0.00  15.26  12.96  -2.05  -1.72|  2796  +206
Sioux Falls 76 +11  93  48| 0.00  18.59  16.76  +0.47  +1.43|  2777  +351
Custer      69 +11  96  46| 0.20  13.80  12.30  -2.05  -1.67|  1689  +289
Hot Springs 74  +9 100  46| 0.19  11.13   8.72  -1.89  -2.81|  2544  +216
Oelrichs    75  +9 100  50| 0.17   9.97   7.50  -3.97  -4.52|  2585  +149
Porcupine   76 +12 101  55| 0.00   9.35   7.68  -3.87  -4.06|  2548  +196
Murdo       80 +14 102  56| 0.00   7.55   6.26  -7.31  -6.34|  2818  +394
Winner      82 +14 100  56| 0.00  11.05   9.45  -8.22  -6.99|  3255  +441
Armour      78 +11  98  49| 0.09  11.49  10.46  -6.71  -4.86|  3090  +403
Centerville 74 +10  93  42| 0.00  16.63  15.58  -3.13  -1.40|  2718  +274
Marion      74 +11  95  48| 0.00  16.63  15.15  -2.19  -0.68|  2623  +227
Pickstown   78 +12  99  53| 0.13  11.40  10.28  -6.07  -4.70|  3019  +389
Vermillion  77 +10  94  48| 0.00  19.88  18.76  +0.39  +1.90|  3100  +311
Yankton     76 +11  97  48| 0.00  14.86  12.84  -3.87  -3.38|  2902  +331



 
Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.
Growing Degree Day values calculated using standard corn formula with no temperature caps.