Released: September 23, 2002 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending September 22, 2002 SD-CW3802 Volume 51 Issue 38

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Slightly above normal temperatures moved across the state last week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included winter wheat planting, weed control efforts, working cattle, preparing for harvest, cutting silage, and moving hay. Statewide, there were 6.1 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 lower 60's, with a low of 27 in Custer and a high of 96 in Buffalo, McIntosh, Milesville, and Philip. Spearfish reported 2.93 inches of precipitation, while several other areas reported little or no rain.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions are similar to last week. Topsoil moisture is rated 18 percent very short, 35 percent short, and 47 percent adequate. Subsoil moisture is rated 33 percent very short, 32 percent short, and 35 percent adequate.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Crops continue to advance to maturity as harvest season is beginning. The corn crop, now with 97 percent dented and 57 percent rated mature, is also 5 percent harvested. This is slightly ahead of last year and the five-year average progress. Soybeans are at 88 percent dropping leaves and 43 percent rated mature, with 6 percent harvested. Sorghum is 95 percent turning color, 41 percent mature, and 12 percent harvested for grain. Sunflower are 96 percent with ray flowers dry, 82 percent have bracts yellowing, and 39 percent are rated mature. Silage harvest continues, with corn silage 81 percent harvested and sorghum silage 63 percent harvested. Winter wheat seeded is at 44 percent and 14 percent is emerged. Winter rye is 59 percent seeded and 28 percent emerged.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Alfalfa harvest continues with third cutting now 70 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 22, 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     33      4     5
Short      33    19    NA     28     19    13
Adeq.      36    73    NA     38     74    75
Surplus     2     4    NA      1      3     7     



    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     18    18     8     33     32    10
Short      35    30    21     32     33    41
Adeq.      47    51    69     35     35    48
Surplus     0     1     2      0      0     1     



    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
         AS OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Corn          18      17     26      33      6
Soybeans       8      13     32      42      5
Alfalfa       34      23     26      15      2
Sorghum       26      28     34      11      1
Sunflower     24      22     37      16      1
Cattle         5       7     27      51     10
Sheep          4       6     25      59      6
Range & 
   Pasture    29      30     25      14      2          



    CROP PROGRESS AS OF SEPTEMBER 22, 2002  1/
                                                       
                                                                           
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn          
 dented              97     93     96      95
 mature              57     37     53      55
 grain harvested      5      2      3       4
 silage harvested    81     57     78      72
Sorghum      
 coloring            95     91     99      94
 mature              41     26     52      47
 grain harvested     12      6      5       7
 silage harvested    63     51     58      46
Soybeans    
 dropping leaves     88     70     74      79
 mature              43     20     30      43
 harvested            6      0      2       6
Sunflower   
 ray flowers dry     96     88     99      97
 bracts yellow       82     64     86      84
 mature              39     20     37      38
 harvested            3      2      2       5
Winter Wheat
 seeded              44     24     36      51
 emerged             14      5     12      19 
Winter Rye  
 seeded              59     42     54      57  
 emerged             28     10      8      26 
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         70     68     79      64               


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



                 TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, and GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                           WEEK ENDING SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 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       63  +6  95  31| 0.05   6.76   6.17  -7.82  -6.45|  2677  +393
Buffalo     62  +5  96  33| 0.00   5.09   4.72  -6.81  -6.00|  2577  +409
Dupree      63  +4  95  32| 0.05   7.05   6.43  -7.27  -6.20|  2864  +351
Mc Intosh   60  +3  96  29| 0.00   6.98   6.19  -7.28  -6.60|  2582  +255
Newell      58  +1  91  35| 0.76  10.55   9.32  -2.27  -2.00|  2532  +260
Timber Lake 62  +4  93  31| 0.00   7.74   6.92  -7.46  -6.32|  2754  +379
Aberdeen    64  +6  94  34| 0.03  13.18  12.34  -2.81  -1.47|  2646  +252
Eureka      63  +7  93  35| 0.00  12.89  12.24  -1.70  -0.77|  2768  +533
Faulkton    63  +5  93  35| 0.11  15.70  14.41  -0.28  +0.53|  2808  +457
Mobridge    66  +8  95  35| 0.00   7.18   7.00  -7.36  -5.64|  2930  +485
Roscoe      61  +4  91  35| 0.12  11.75  10.91  -4.46  -3.38|  2479  +127
Britton     65  +7  92  38| 0.00  10.28   9.52  -5.75  -4.80|  2867  +421
Clear Lake  62  +4  89  36| 0.43  15.58  12.64  -4.54  -4.57|  2508  +149
Sisseton    66  +8  93  42| 0.02  16.53  16.31  -1.13  +1.08|  2586   +88
Webster     62  +5  90  38| 0.00  17.88  17.03  -0.02  +1.42|  2606  +268
Watertown   62  +5  88  41| 0.29  14.74  14.03  -3.78  -1.96|  2617  +252
Faith       62  +3  94  36| 0.17   7.65   7.46  -6.70  -5.08|  2784  +285
Milesville  63  +4  96  36| 0.05   9.40   7.80  -6.06  -5.74|  3069  +405
Long Valley 62  +1  91  32| 0.27   4.18   3.89 -11.47  -9.89|  3150  +512
Philip      64  +4  96  35| 0.28   7.89   7.50  -5.94  -4.69|  3182  +438
Rapid City  61  +3  94  31| 0.69   9.89   8.97  -4.30  -3.28|  2808  +549
Spearfish   59  +2  87  40| 2.93  13.82  11.68  -4.58  -3.93|  2623  +469
Chamberlain 64  +2  92  38| 0.06  12.56  10.84  -2.60  -2.55|  3001  +107
Highmore    63  +4  93  32| 0.00  14.24  13.84  -2.69  -1.02|  2961  +350
Huron       65  +7  92  37| 0.12  10.50   9.09  -6.52  -5.18|  3088  +525
Onida       64  +4  93  35| 0.04  12.47  11.85  -3.30  -1.59|  2865  +181
Pierre      64  +4  94  38| 0.00  13.54  13.06  -2.44  -0.88|  3046  +290
Brookings   61  +5  87  38| 0.60  20.11  17.24  +0.67  -0.22|  2560  +422
Madison     62  +4  85  36| 0.31  12.90  11.63  -6.98  -5.14|  2676  +332
Mitchell    63  +3  91  39| 0.10  15.75  13.45  -2.70  -2.37|  3008  +245
Sioux Falls 64  +5  85  39| 0.46  19.66  17.83  +0.09  +1.05|  2990  +410
Custer      53  -1  80  27| 0.43  16.43  14.93  -0.12  +0.26|  1768  +277
Hot Springs 59  -2  90  30| 0.85  14.13  11.72  +0.41  -0.51|  2698  +203
Oelrichs    58  -4  91  33| 0.38  12.39   9.92  -2.11  -2.66|  2731  +118
Porcupine   59  -1  91  34| 0.95  12.75  11.08  -1.03  -1.22|  2691  +185
Murdo       63  +4  92  39| 0.27   9.07   7.78  -6.34  -5.37|  3008  +419
Winner      66  +3  91  40| 0.25  12.21  10.61  -8.04  -6.81|  3482  +464
Armour      64  +3  86  38| 0.02  13.27  12.24  -6.05  -4.20|  3301  +430
Centerville 62  +3  85  39| 0.03  17.29  16.24  -3.73  -2.00|  2911  +311
Marion      62  +3  86  38| 0.25  17.66  16.18  -2.60  -1.09|  2813  +265
Pickstown   64  +3  89  42| 0.00  13.01  11.89  -5.65  -4.28|  3232  +421
Vermillion  65  +3  86  38| 0.09  20.53  19.41  -0.10  +1.41|  3330  +343
Yankton     64  +3  88  39| 0.00  16.19  14.17  -3.65  -3.16|  3125  +379
       

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