Released: September 16, 2002 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending September 15, 2002 SD-CW3702 Volume 51 Issue 37

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Much welcomed precipitation and slightly above normal temperatures moved across the state last week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included cutting silage, fixing fences, working ground prior to seeding winter wheat, preparing for harvesting, working calves, and moving cattle to market. Statewide, there were 5.4 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:   Slightly above normal temperatures covered the state last week. Average temperatures were in the mid 60's, about 10 degrees cooler than a week earlier, with a low of 34 in Brookings and a high of 97 in Mitchell. Precipitation covered most of the state, with an average of almost an inch. Long Valley reported no precipitation, while Porcupine reported 2.45 inches.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil moisture conditions are slightly higher than the previous week, while subsoil moisture remained similar to last week. Topsoil moisture is rated 18 percent very short, 30 percent short, 51 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated 32 percent very short, 33 percent short, and 35 percent adequate.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    The corn crop continues to advance, with 93 percent dented and 37 percent rated mature. This is slightly ahead of last year and the five- year average progress. Soybeans are at 70 percent dropping leaves and 20 percent mature. Sorghum is 91 percent turning color, 26 percent mature, and 6 percent harvested for grain. Sunflower are 88 percent with ray flowers dry, 64 percent have bracts yellowing, and 20 percent are rated mature. Silage harvest continues, with corn silage 57 percent harvested and sorghum silage 51 percent harvested. Winter wheat seeded is at 24 percent and only 5 percent is emerged. Winter rye is 42 percent seeded and 10 percent emerged.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Alfalfa harvest continues with third cutting 68 percent harvested, up only 2 points from the previous week. Livestock remain in mostly fair to good condition again this week. 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 15, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     29     4    NA     35      5     5
Short      34    20    NA     26     22    13
Adeq.      36    69    NA     37     67    75
Surplus     1     7    NA      2      6     7



    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     18    27    22     32     34    20
Short      30    29    32     33     33    45
Adeq.      51    43    46     35     32    34
Surplus     1     1     0      0      1     1



    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Corn          17      18     25      35      5
Soybeans       8      17     27      44      4
Alfalfa       43      18     22      15      2
Sorghum       29      30     34       7      0
Sunflower     30      20     35      14      1
Cattle         5       9     32      48      6
Sheep          4       7     29      55      5
Range & 
   Pasture    34      27     23      15      1



    CROP PROGRESS AS OF SEPTEMBER 15, 2002  1/
                                                       
                                                                           
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn          
 dented              93     76     90      86
 mature              37     24     33      31
 grain harvested      2      0      1       1
 silage harvested    57     41     66      51
Sorghum      
 coloring            91     79     93      86
 mature              26     18     35      28
 grain harvested      6      4      4       3
 silage harvested    51     43     45      31
Soybeans    
 dropping leaves     70     44     55      57
 mature              20      8     20      21
 harvested            0      0      1       1
Sunflower   
 ray flowers dry     88     78     94      91
 bracts yellow       64     53     74      73
 mature              20      7     17      21
 harvested            2      0      1       2
Winter Wheat
 seeded              24     14     20      30
 emerged              5      2      3       8 
Winter Rye  
 seeded              42     22     30      35  
 emerged             10      2      4      14 
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         68     66     60      54 


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



                 TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, and GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                           WEEK ENDING SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 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       64  +4  89  45| 0.35   6.71   6.12  -7.59  -6.22|  2587  +364
Buffalo     63  +4  81  42| 0.18   5.09   4.72  -6.52  -5.71|  2488  +376
Dupree      64  +3  87  47| 0.57   7.00   6.38  -7.04  -5.97|  2772  +329
Mc Intosh   62  +3  85  42| 0.35   6.98   6.19  -6.93  -6.25|  2509  +238
Newell      60  -2  78  44| 1.52   9.79   8.56  -2.75  -2.48|  2467  +254
Timber Lake 63  +3  83  47| 0.43   7.74   6.92  -7.18  -6.04|  2669  +352
Aberdeen    62  +2  94  35| 0.29  13.15  12.31  -2.42  -1.08|  2549  +213
Eureka      63  +4  80  43| 0.43  12.89  12.24  -1.35  -0.42|  2673  +492
Faulkton    65  +5  95  45| 0.41  15.59  14.30  -0.04  +0.77|  2718  +428
Mobridge    64  +3  88  46| 0.43   7.18   7.00  -7.01  -5.29|  2819  +437
Roscoe      62  +2  92  43| 1.06  11.63  10.79  -4.23  -3.15|  2398  +104
Britton     65  +5  94  38| 0.28  10.28   9.52  -5.33  -4.38|  2760  +377
Clear Lake  64  +3  90  38| 0.32  15.15  12.21  -4.47  -4.50|  2421  +124
Sisseton    66  +5  96  38| 0.27  16.51  16.29  -0.73  +1.48|  2472   +39
Webster     62  +3  79  45| 0.26  17.88  17.03  +0.40  +1.84|  2520  +238
Watertown   64  +4  90  38| 0.86  14.45  13.74  -3.65  -1.83|  2529  +224
Faith       63  +2  79  48| 0.40   7.48   7.29  -6.57  -4.95|  2697  +268
Milesville  64  +2  88  50| 1.37   9.35   7.75  -5.78  -5.46|  2975  +387
Long Valley 67  +4  91  53| 0.00   3.91   3.62 -11.46  -9.88|  3066  +509
Philip      64  +0  88  49| 2.26   7.61   7.22  -5.99  -4.74|  3080  +415
Rapid City  62  +2  82  45| 1.49   9.20   8.28  -4.71  -3.69|  2722  +526
Spearfish   64  +4  94  47| 1.35  10.89   8.75  -7.15  -6.50|  2559  +465
Chamberlain 65  -1  96  44| 1.18  12.50  10.78  -2.38  -2.33|  2904   +97
Highmore    64  +2  86  42| 1.20  14.24  13.84  -2.34  -0.67|  2866  +330
Huron       66  +5  96  37| 0.26  10.38   8.97  -6.22  -4.88|  2978  +483
Onida       61  -3  83  43| 1.43  12.43  11.81  -3.06  -1.35|  2769  +161
Pierre      64  +1  95  45| 1.99  13.54  13.06  -2.09  -0.53|  2944  +265
Brookings   63  +5  90  34| 0.63  19.51  16.64  +0.70  -0.19|  2479  +393
Madison     64  +4  90  35| 0.59  12.59  11.32  -6.74  -4.90|  2592  +310
Mitchell    67  +3  97  41| 0.39  15.65  13.35  -2.24  -1.91|  2915  +229
Sioux Falls 66  +4  90  40| 0.61  19.20  17.37  +0.33  +1.29|  2890  +378
Custer      54  -3  72  38| 2.20  16.00  14.50  -0.20  +0.18|  1725  +273
Hot Springs 63  -1  87  43| 2.15  13.28  10.87  -0.09  -1.01|  2634  +214
Oelrichs    61  -3  86  46| 2.04  12.01   9.54  -2.21  -2.76|  2667  +133
Porcupine   60  -3  90  44| 2.45  11.80  10.13  -1.70  -1.89|  2620  +182
Murdo       63  +1  91  46| 1.25   8.80   7.51  -6.34  -5.37|  2912  +397
Winner      66  +0  93  48| 0.91  11.96  10.36  -7.80  -6.57|  3371  +445
Armour      65  +2  93  43| 1.76  13.25  12.22  -5.51  -3.66|  3202  +414
Centerville 65  +3  90  41| 0.76  17.39  16.34  -3.00  -1.27|  2824  +294
Marion      65  +4  92  40| 0.78  17.41  15.93  -2.15  -0.64|  2728  +248
Pickstown   66  +2  94  43| 1.61  13.01  11.89  -5.09  -3.72|  3130  +401
Vermillion  67  +2  91  40| 0.56  20.44  19.32  +0.37  +1.88|  3220  +324
Yankton     68  +5  96  41| 1.33  16.19  14.17  -3.10  -2.61|  3027  +360
Bison       64  +4  89  45| 0.35   6.71   6.12  -7.59  -6.22|  2587  +364
Buffalo     63  +4  81  42| 0.18   5.09   4.72  -6.52  -5.71|  2488  +376
Dupree      64  +3  87  47| 0.57   7.00   6.38  -7.04  -5.97|  2772  +329
Mc Intosh   62  +3  85  42| 0.35   6.98   6.19  -6.93  -6.25|  2509  +238
Newell      60  -2  78  44| 1.52   9.79   8.56  -2.75  -2.48|  2467  +254
Timber Lake 63  +3  83  47| 0.43   7.74   6.92  -7.18  -6.04|  2669  +352
Aberdeen    62  +2  94  35| 0.29  13.15  12.31  -2.42  -1.08|  2549  +213
Eureka      63  +4  80  43| 0.43  12.89  12.24  -1.35  -0.42|  2673  +492
Faulkton    65  +5  95  45| 0.41  15.59  14.30  -0.04  +0.77|  2718  +428
Mobridge    64  +3  88  46| 0.43   7.18   7.00  -7.01  -5.29|  2819  +437
Roscoe      62  +2  92  43| 1.06  11.63  10.79  -4.23  -3.15|  2398  +104
Britton     65  +5  94  38| 0.28  10.28   9.52  -5.33  -4.38|  2760  +377
Clear Lake  64  +3  90  38| 0.32  15.15  12.21  -4.47  -4.50|  2421  +124
Sisseton    66  +5  96  38| 0.27  16.51  16.29  -0.73  +1.48|  2472   +39
Webster     62  +3  79  45| 0.26  17.88  17.03  +0.40  +1.84|  2520  +238
Watertown   64  +4  90  38| 0.86  14.45  13.74  -3.65  -1.83|  2529  +224
Faith       63  +2  79  48| 0.40   7.48   7.29  -6.57  -4.95|  2697  +268
Milesville  64  +2  88  50| 1.37   9.35   7.75  -5.78  -5.46|  2975  +387
Long Valley 67  +4  91  53| 0.00   3.91   3.62 -11.46  -9.88|  3066  +509
Philip      64  +0  88  49| 2.26   7.61   7.22  -5.99  -4.74|  3080  +415
Rapid City  62  +2  82  45| 1.49   9.20   8.28  -4.71  -3.69|  2722  +526
Spearfish   64  +4  94  47| 1.35  10.89   8.75  -7.15  -6.50|  2559  +465
Chamberlain 65  -1  96  44| 1.18  12.50  10.78  -2.38  -2.33|  2904   +97
Highmore    64  +2  86  42| 1.20  14.24  13.84  -2.34  -0.67|  2866  +330
Huron       66  +5  96  37| 0.26  10.38   8.97  -6.22  -4.88|  2978  +483
Onida       61  -3  83  43| 1.43  12.43  11.81  -3.06  -1.35|  2769  +161
Pierre      64  +1  95  45| 1.99  13.54  13.06  -2.09  -0.53|  2944  +265
Brookings   63  +5  90  34| 0.63  19.51  16.64  +0.70  -0.19|  2479  +393
Madison     64  +4  90  35| 0.59  12.59  11.32  -6.74  -4.90|  2592  +310
Mitchell    67  +3  97  41| 0.39  15.65  13.35  -2.24  -1.91|  2915  +229
Sioux Falls 66  +4  90  40| 0.61  19.20  17.37  +0.33  +1.29|  2890  +378
Custer      54  -3  72  38| 2.20  16.00  14.50  -0.20  +0.18|  1725  +273
Hot Springs 63  -1  87  43| 2.15  13.28  10.87  -0.09  -1.01|  2634  +214
Oelrichs    61  -3  86  46| 2.04  12.01   9.54  -2.21  -2.76|  2667  +133
Porcupine   60  -3  90  44| 2.45  11.80  10.13  -1.70  -1.89|  2620  +182
Murdo       63  +1  91  46| 1.25   8.80   7.51  -6.34  -5.37|  2912  +397
Winner      66  +0  93  48| 0.91  11.96  10.36  -7.80  -6.57|  3371  +445
Armour      65  +2  93  43| 1.76  13.25  12.22  -5.51  -3.66|  3202  +414
Centerville 65  +3  90  41| 0.76  17.39  16.34  -3.00  -1.27|  2824  +294
Marion      65  +4  92  40| 0.78  17.41  15.93  -2.15  -0.64|  2728  +248
Pickstown   66  +2  94  43| 1.61  13.01  11.89  -5.09  -3.72|  3130  +401
Vermillion  67  +2  91  40| 0.56  20.44  19.32  +0.37  +1.88|  3220  +324
Yankton     68  +5  96  41| 1.33  16.19  14.17  -3.10  -2.61|  3027  +360

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