Released: October 28, 2002 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending October 27, 2002 SD-CW4302 Volume 51 Issue 43

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Cool temperatures and scattered snow and rainfall have hindered South Dakota's producers with their fall harvest and livestock activities, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included harvesting row crops, tillage, weaning calves, and moving cattle to fall grazing. Statewide, there were 3.9 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:   Temperatures ranged from upper 20's to 30's last week, with temperatures averaging 14 degrees below normal across the state. A high of 71 degrees was reported in Oelrichs, while both Dupree and Philip reported the low of 13 degrees. Scattered precipitation fell across the state, with weather stations reporting precipitation ranging from none in Mitchell to 0.5 inch in Vermillion.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil moisture conditions have improved slightly throughout the state. The eastern portion of the state continues to remain at mostly adequate for soil moisture, while many western counties continue to see short or very short moisture levels. Topsoil moisture is rated 16 percent very short, 23 percent short, 58 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated 28 percent very short, 24 percent short, 47 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Scattered rains and snow across the state slowed harvest progress last week. The corn crop is now 45 percent harvested, compared to 61 percent last year and the five-year average of 62 percent. Soybeans are rated 88 percent harvested, behind the five-year average of 93 percent. Sorghum for grain has reached 66 percent harvested, while sunflower are now 74 percent harvested. Winter wheat and winter rye seeding are virtually complete. Winter wheat emergence is at 89 percent, 3 points ahead of the five-year average of 86 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Cattle continue to be moved to crop residues to take advantage of additional feed sources, while some producers are baling corn stalks to add to their feed supply. Feed supplies are rated at 27 percent very short, 27 percent short, 45 percent adequate, and only 1 percent surplus. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly fair to good condition this week. The condition of range and pastures was similar to the previous week, with the majority remaining in 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 October 27, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     27     4    NA     33      7    7
Short      27    14    NA     24     19   12
Adeq.      45    76    NA     42     70   73
Surplus     1     6    NA      1      4    8


    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
         AS OF October 27, 2002 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     16    22     8     28     31    10
Short      23    23    27     24     25    33
Adeq.      58    52    62     47     43    54
Surplus     3     3     3      1      1     3
   



    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
         AS OF October 27, 2002 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   4      11     37      42      6
Winter Rye    16       3     38      38      5
Cattle         6       8     24      53      9
Sheep          7       7     22      54     10
Range & 
   Pasture    31      28     26      14      1        



    CROP PROGRESS AS OF October 27, 2002  1/
                                                       
                                                                           
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn          
 grain harvested     45     33     61      62
Sorghum      
 grain harvested     66     48     86      75
 silage harvested    99     92     99      98
Soybeans    
 harvested           88     77     94      93
Sunflower   
 harvested           74     57     72      76
Winter Wheat
 emerged             89     80     87      86 
Winter Rye  
 emerged             93     82    100      96                  

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



                             SOIL TEMPERATURES
               WEEK ENDING October 27, 2002 (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP
          
Beresford      40              Gettysburg   40
Brookings      39              Nisland      43
Caputa         42              Pierre       43
Chamberlain    43              Redfield     39
Cottonwood     40              Watertown    38



                   TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                WEEK ENDING SUNDAY OCTOBER 27, 2002
                                     
             TEMPERATURE  |    -----  PRECIPITATION -----   
             -----------  |       SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE
            CURRENT WEEK  | CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1
STATION    AVG DFN  HI  LO| WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN
-------     --  --  --  --|-----  -----  -----  -----  -----
Bison       30 -16  44  19| 0.05   7.02   6.43  -8.81  -7.44
Buffalo     30 -14  47  19| 0.02   5.32   4.95  -7.71  -6.90
Dupree      29 -18  46  13| 0.16   7.94   7.32  -7.68  -6.61
Mc Intosh   30 -15  46  21| 0.13   7.37   6.58  -8.17  -7.49
Newell      30 -14  62  16| 0.16  10.89   9.66  -3.22  -2.95
Timber Lake 8 -17  45  14| 0.03   8.10   7.28  -8.43  -7.29
Aberdeen    31 -13  48  16| 0.15  14.83  13.99  -2.61  -1.27
Eureka      31 -13  47  21| 0.16  13.73  13.08  -2.24  -1.31
Faulkton    33 -11  50  16| 0.35  16.64  15.35  -0.86  -0.05
Mobridge    31 -15  48  21| 0.22   7.82   7.64  -8.01  -6.29
Roscoe      29 -15  45  19| 0.28  12.75  11.91  -4.84  -3.76
Britton     32 -12  44  21| 0.11  12.18  11.42  -5.48  -4.53
Clear Lake  29 -16  45  17| 0.11  18.41  15.47  -4.02  -4.05
Sisseton    32 -14  46  21| 0.14  19.04  18.82  -0.49  +1.72
Webster     31 -13  43  22| 0.22  20.23  19.38  +0.58  +2.02
Watertown   31 -14  44  20| 0.12  17.13  16.42  -3.55  -1.73
Faith       29 -17  48  18| 0.02   8.14   7.95  -7.49  -5.87
Milesville  31 -16  46  18| 0.08  10.60   9.00  -6.34  -6.02
Long Valley 34 -14  52  19| 0.06   4.30   4.01 -12.59 -11.01
Philip      32 -16  56  13| 0.15   8.37   7.98  -6.73  -5.48
Rapid City  32 -14  63  20| 0.15  10.58   9.66  -4.91  -3.89
Spearfish   32 -14  54  16| 0.39  14.71  12.57  -5.67  -5.02
Chamberlain 32 -16  59  14| 0.24  13.97  12.25  -2.55  -2.50
Highmore    32 -15  47  19| 0.20  14.96  14.56  -3.60  -1.93
Huron       33 -13  52  20| 0.21  12.44  11.03  -6.29  -4.95
Onida       31 -16  46  19| 0.12  13.25  12.63  -3.87  -2.16
Pierre      32 -16  54  19| 0.10  14.03  13.55  -3.45  -1.89
Brookings   30 -13  46  18| 0.03  22.98  20.11  +1.39  +0.50
Madison     31 -13  51  15| 0.19  16.30  15.03  -5.76  -3.92
Mitchell    34 -13  63  22| 0.00  19.24  16.94  -1.14  -0.81
Sioux Falls 34 -12  60  25| 0.21  23.52  21.69  +1.61  +2.57
Custer      30 -13  59  14| 0.20  17.29  15.79  -0.53  -0.15
Hot Springs 35 -13  62  19| 0.23  14.37  11.96  -0.58  -1.50
Oelrichs    34 -14  71  18| 0.30  12.82  10.35  -2.92  -3.47
Porcupine   33 -13  67  17| 0.05  13.18  11.51  -1.83  -2.02
Murdo       30 -17  56  15| 0.25   9.73   8.44  -7.14  -6.17
Winner      33 -17  52  16| 0.29  13.05  11.45  -9.03  -7.80
Armour      35 -13  62  22| 0.13  16.47  15.44  -4.87  -3.02
Centerville 34 -12  59  23| 0.13  21.02  19.97  -2.19  -0.46
Marion      33 -12  57  22| 0.15  20.78  19.30  -1.72  -0.21
Pickstown   35 -14  64  24| 0.13  16.09  14.97  -4.54  -3.17
Vermillion  37 -12  65  25| 0.50  23.11  21.99  +0.36  +1.87
Yankton     35 -13  67  25| 0.22  19.37  17.35  -2.43  -1.94
       
       

Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.