Released: April 7, 2003 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending April 6, 2003 SD-CW1403 Volume 52 Issue 14

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Cool, damp weather toward the end of the week slowed things down and caused some farmers to re-think this spring's crop plans, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Most producers are ready or have already started fieldwork, but would like to receive some moisture first. Many farmers remain busy with calving and lambing, fixing fences, disking, hay and pasture fertilizing, and preparing for the spring planting season. Statewide, there were 4.9 days reported suitable for fieldwork. This report is based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters across the state.

WEATHER INFORMATION:   During the previous week, the average temperature was 42 degrees, only 2 degrees higher than normal. Winner received the highest temperature of 85 degrees, while the low of 14 was received in both McIntosh and Long Valley. Statewide precipitation totals since January 1 averaged 1.94 inches, 0.59 inch below normal. Precipitation for the previous week was relatively light, with Custer receiving the most moisture, at 0.65 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:    Moisture levels have increased slightly this past week, due to the cool, damp weather received toward the end of last week. Topsoil moisture is reported at 16 percent very short, 36 percent short, 47 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated at 29 percent very short, 35 percent short, 35 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 40.8 degrees, 3.2 degrees above normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Spring activity has begun for many farmers and ranchers, with April 6 as the statewide average date to start fieldwork. However, the April 6 snowstorm will certainly halt fieldwork in several areas of South Dakota. Seeding of small grains is ahead of last year, but similar to the five-year average. Statewide, seeding of barley is 5 percent complete, oats 10 percent complete, and spring wheat is 11 percent complete. Winter rye and winter wheat breaking dormancy have increased over the past week, with winter rye up 6 points to 60 percent, and winter wheat up 11 points to 86 percent. Both are significantly ahead of last year's progress, when only 2 percent of rye and 12 percent of the wheat had come out of dormancy.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    The weather of the past week has favored livestock births, with 47 percent of calving and 59 percent of lambing completed. Calf and sheep deaths during last week were mostly normal or below normal. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly fair to good condition. Range and pastures have remained fairly consistent with last week, as the majority, 59 percent, were rated very poor to poor. Many livestock producers are concerned about early turnout to pastures. Due to the lack of moisture, there will be minimal early growth, causing ranchers to go through feed supplies at a faster rate than usual. Feed supplies were rated at 15 percent very short, 35 percent short, 47 percent adequate, and only 3 percent surplus. A year ago feed supplies rated 91 percent adequate to surplus. Lack of moisture has caused stock water supplies to be rated at 16 percent very short, 33 percent short, 50 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. The livestock feed and water supply comparison table was added to show current conditions.

     FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
         AS OF April 6, 2003 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     15     1     2     16      6    1
Short      35     8     9     33     12    7
Adeq.      47    82    78     50     79   78
Surplus     3     9    11      1      3   14


           SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                AS OF April 6, 2003 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     16    19     6     29     31     8
Short      36    37    26     35     38    28
Adeq.      47    44    64     35     30    62
Surplus     1     0     4      1      1     2



    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
         AS OF April 6, 2003 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   3      14     30      47      6
Winter Rye     8      17     34      31     10
Cattle         1       3     24      61     11
Sheep          1       3     20      63     13
Range &       27      32     27      13      1
   Pasture




         CROP PROGRESS AS OF April 6, 2003  1/
                                                      
                                                                       
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 seeded              5      1      0       6
Spring wheat 
 seeded              11      1      1      12
Oats        
 seeded              10      1      1       9

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



              SOIL TEMPERATURES
 WEEK ENDING April 6, 2003 (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      41              Gettysburg   40
Brookings      37              Nisland      44
Caputa         42              Pierre       45
Chamberlain    46              Redfield     38
Cottonwood     46              Watertown    35




            TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        WEEK ENDING April 6, 2003
                                     
             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       42  +4  75  20 | 0.00  3.93   0.00  +1.60  -0.37|    4    +0
Buffalo     43  +5  75  21 | 0.00  2.12   0.00  +0.75  -0.19|    8    +2
Dupree      41  +1  77  18 | 0.09  2.38   0.09  +0.39  -0.21|    3    -3
Mc Intosh   36  -3  75  14 | 0.00  1.10   0.00  -0.67  -0.30|    0    -3
Newell      42  +3  75  18 | 0.21  2.63   0.21  +0.89  -0.03|    8    +2
Timber Lake 38  -2  74  16 | 0.01  2.12   0.01  -0.19  -0.34|    0    -6
Aberdeen    38  -2  77  16 | 0.00  1.00   0.00  -1.54  -0.36|    9    +3
Eureka      39  +3  76  18 | 0.00  0.54   0.00  -1.36  -0.32|    5    +4
Faulkton    39  +1  77  19 | 0.00  2.22   0.00  -0.24  -0.36|    8    +6
Mobridge    40  +2  78  18 | 0.00  0.62   0.00  -1.64  -0.36|    9    +3
Roscoe      36  -4  76  19 | 0.00  1.68   0.00  -0.64  -0.40|    6    +0
Britton     38  -2  75  17 | 0.00  0.49   0.00  -1.51  -0.29|    7    +1
Clear Lake  36  -4  74  15 | 0.11  2.24   0.11  -1.09  -0.31|    7    +5
Sisseton    37  -4  77  15 | 0.00  0.32   0.00  -2.49  -0.38|    7    +1
Webster     36  -3  73  20 | 0.00  1.02   0.00  -1.57  -0.30|    2    -3
Watertown   38  -2  74  20 | 0.00  0.98   0.00  -1.92  -0.37|   10    +8
Faith       41  +2  77  19 | 0.00  0.92   0.00  -1.19  -0.30|    8    +2
Milesville  44  +3  80  20 | 0.00  2.99   0.00  +0.77  -0.30|    9    +3
Long Valley 44  +2  81  14 | 0.20  2.84   0.20  +0.61  -0.16|   12    +6
Philip      45  +4  82  19 | 0.00  1.64   0.00  -0.28  -0.28|   16   +10
Rapid City  45  +6  81  19 | 0.06  1.66   0.06  -0.58  -0.24|   13    +9
Spearfish   44  +5  78  21 | 0.27  4.37   0.27  +1.13  -0.18|   11    +5
Chamberlain 43  +1  82  22 | 0.00  2.04   0.00  -0.08  -0.35|   21   +15
Highmore    43  +2  78  19 | 0.00  1.24   0.00  -1.23  -0.40|   12    +6
Huron       43  +3  81  23 | 0.02  1.22   0.02  -1.89  -0.34|   19   +13
Onida       40  -2  80  22 | 0.00  2.12   0.00  -0.57  -0.36|    5    -1
Pierre      44  +3  79  26 | 0.00  1.14   0.00  -1.25  -0.35|   16   +10
Brookings   38  +0  76  19 | 0.00  0.81   0.00  -1.53  -0.36|    9    +9
Madison     40  +2  78  21 | 0.00  1.01   0.00  -2.54  -0.44|   12    +9
Mitchell    43  +2  78  23 | 0.00  2.11   0.00  -0.94  -0.42|   16   +10
Sioux Falls 43  +2  79  20 | 0.02  1.17   0.02  -2.07  -0.43|   15    +9
Custer      40  +4  69  21 | 0.65  3.68   0.65  +1.52  +0.37|    2    +2
Hot Springs 45  +3  78  20 | 0.33  3.39   0.33  +1.66  +0.09|    8    +1
Oelrichs    45  +2  81  17 | 0.05  2.58   0.05  +0.36  -0.25|   11    +5
Porcupine   46  +6  84  16 | 0.00  3.23   0.00  +1.50  -0.25|   18   +14
Murdo       42  +3  82  20 | 0.05  2.27   0.05  -0.38  -0.34|   17   +14
Winner      47  +4  85  27 | 0.20  2.23   0.20  -1.06  -0.26|   25   +14
Armour      46  +3  81  25 | 0.00  1.36   0.00  -1.94  -0.42|   20   +10
Centerville 44  +3  81  22 | 0.00  1.82   0.00  -1.34  -0.38|   31   +25
Marion      42  +2  79  20 | 0.00  1.73   0.00  -1.74  -0.48|   16   +10
Pickstown   45  +4  83  18 | 0.02  1.89   0.02  -1.03  -0.41|   24   +18
Vermillion  48  +4  82  19 | 0.06  3.18   0.06  +0.13  -0.36|   35   +23
Yankton     43  +2  83  19 | 0.00  3.18   0.00  +0.31  -0.36|   17   +11 

       

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