Released: May 12, 2003 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending May 11, 2003 SD-CW1903 Volume 52 Issue 19

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Rain showers moved across the state throughout the week, bringing additional moisture to most areas, although producers continue to wait for warm temperatures, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included row crop seeding, spraying and applying fertilizer, fixing fences, and working with cattle. Statewide, there were 2.2 days reported as 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:   Each of the forty-three reporting stations had temperatures between 3 and 8 degrees below normal. Milesville reported the high of 76, with Custer having the low of 27. All reporting stations received precipitation, with Roscoe, at 2.52 inches, receiving the most rain for the second week in a row.

SOIL CONDITION:    Air temperatures continued to be cooler than normal last week. Recent rains have helped topsoil and subsoil moisture levels. Topsoil moisture was rated at 92 percent adequate or surplus, compared to the previous week's 79 percent.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Despite damp weather conditions, seeding of small grains, as well as row crops, has continued to move ahead. Seeding and emergence of spring wheat, barley, and oats are ahead of last year, as well as the five-year averages. Spring wheat is nearing completion, with 97 percent seeded, while oats are at 92 percent seeded. Corn planting progress is on track with the five-year average, at 47 percent planted. Emergence of corn is at 3 percent. Both soybean and sorghum planting are at 7 percent complete.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Calving and lambing near completion with 90 and 91 percent completed, respectively. Cattle moved to pasture are reported at 40 percent, slightly ahead of last year. Increased precipitation improved range and pasture conditions, with 34 percent currently good to excellent, compared to the previous week's 24 percent and last year's 48 percent. The livestock feed and water supply comparison table was added to show current conditions.

           FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                  AS OF May 11, 2003 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short     18     2     1     10     11    2
Short      31    15     9     26     17    7
Adeq.      50    78    81     62     67   72
Surplus     1     5     9      2      5   19


           SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF May 11, 2003 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      2     2     5      6     18     8
Short       6    19    18     25     31    23
Adeq.      87    75    71     66     50    66
Surplus     5     4     6      3      1     3




           CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                  AS OF May 11, 2003 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   1       4     26      53     16
Winter Rye     0       5     23      57     15
Spring Wheat   0       1     21      59     19
Barley         0       1     27      62     10
Oats           0       2     22      62     14
Cattle         0       2     23      62     13
Sheep          0       2     19      68     11
Range &                                       
   Pasture    11      20     35      29      5




                   CROP PROGRESS 
               AS OF May 11, 2003  1/
                                                      
                                                                       
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 seeded              88     74     75      80
 emerged             62     38     39      53
Spring wheat 
 seeded              97     92     92      87
 emerged             84     64     54      63 
Oats        
 seeded              92     86     83      82
 emerged             73     55     50      55
Corn        
 planted             47     27     60      47
 emerged              3      1      3       9
Sorghum     
 seeded               7      0      3       7
Soybeans    
 planted              7      2      9      12
 emerged              0      0      0       3
Sunflower   
 seeded               2      0      1       4
Winter wheat
 boot                25     14      6      25
 headed               0      0      0       0
Winter rye  
 boot                12      4      8      21
 headed               0      0      0       6

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



                  SOIL TEMPERATURES
        WEEK ENDING May 11, 2003 (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      53              Gettysburg   52
Brookings      51              Nisland      52
Caputa         51              Pierre       54
Chamberlain    56              Redfield     52
Cottonwood     53              Watertown    48




            TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        WEEK ENDING May 11, 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       49  -4  73  34| 2.33   8.30   4.37  +3.18  +1.21|   115   +26
Buffalo     46  -7  70  34| 0.56   3.85   1.73  +0.48  -0.46|   128   +46
Dupree      50  -5  73  34| 1.32   5.13   2.84  +0.58  -0.02|   137   +26
Mc Intosh   47  -7  70  35| 1.77   4.78   3.68  +0.61  +0.98|   103    +8
Newell      45  -8  68  31| 0.97   5.65   3.23  +1.70  +0.78|   100   +12
Timber Lake 49  -6  71  37| 1.30   5.30   3.19  +0.31  +0.16|   114    +7
Aberdeen    50  -5  70  33| 1.93   4.65   3.65  -0.25  +0.93|   122    +4
Eureka      51  -4  71  36| 2.01   6.61   6.07  +2.34  +3.38|   125   +35
Faulkton    51  -3  72  39| 2.18   7.97   5.75  +2.89  +2.77|   127   +30
Mobridge    51  -4  73  39| 1.67   5.08   4.46  +0.21  +1.49|   159   +53
Roscoe      49  -6  69  37| 2.52   8.60   6.92  +3.52  +3.76|    69   -36
Britton     51  -5  69  39| 1.51   5.66   5.17  +1.28  +2.50|   151   +27
Clear Lake  48  -8  67  35| 1.24   5.94   3.81  -0.21  +0.57|   105    -3
Sisseton    49  -7  70  36| 1.72   4.65   4.33  -1.03  +1.08|   127    -3
Webster     48  -7  68  35| 1.97   5.23   4.21  +0.20  +1.47|   120    +9
Watertown   49  -6  68  33| 1.48   4.46   3.48  -1.23  +0.32|   125   +23
Faith       49  -6  72  37| 1.06   3.45   2.53  -1.27  -0.38|   129   +18
Milesville  50  -6  76  36| 0.81   6.15   3.16  +1.31  +0.24|   131    -2
Long Valley 51  -5  71  36| 1.49   8.21   5.57  +3.34  +2.57|   151   +30
Philip      51  -5  73  35| 0.75   5.09   3.45  +0.83  +0.83|   163   +32
Rapid City  49  -5  71  31| 0.73   4.85   3.25  +0.15  +0.49|   128   +44
Spearfish   47  -6  67  33| 1.24   6.87   2.77  +0.16  -1.15|   112   +32
Chamberlain 52  -6  75  40| 1.81   7.97   5.93  +3.19  +2.92|   152    -2
Highmore    52  -4  72  38| 2.13   5.82   4.58  +0.50  +1.33|   159   +37
Huron       53  -3  73  37| 1.55   4.85   3.65  -0.91  +0.64|   180   +57
Onida       49  -7  72  39| 1.98   7.64   5.52  +2.38  +2.59|   117   -11
Pierre      52  -4  75  39| 2.40   6.42   5.28  +1.39  +2.29|   177   +46
Brookings   50  -4  69  32| 1.46   5.12   4.31  +0.19  +1.36|   113   +27
Madison     51  -5  70  37| 1.30   6.07   5.06  -0.38  +1.72|   123   +15
Mitchell    51  -6  72  38| 1.51   7.25   5.14  +1.18  +1.70|   135   -15
Sioux Falls 52  -5  70  33| 1.36   6.67   5.52  +0.37  +2.01|   166   +37
Custer      41  -7  60  27| 0.56   6.93   3.90  +2.18  +1.03|    28    -4
Hot Springs 48  -8  70  30| 0.84   7.40   4.34  +3.36  +1.79|    92   -36
Oelrichs    48  -7  69  30| 1.65   6.96   4.43  +2.11  +1.50|   120    -3
Porcupine   49  -6  74  31| 1.19   7.37   4.14  +3.32  +1.57|   122   +23
Murdo       51  -4  75  38| 1.53   8.03   5.81  +2.68  +2.72|   160   +52
Winner      53  -5  74  39| 2.00   7.84   5.81  +1.02  +1.82|   229   +45
Armour      54  -5  72  38| 1.92   7.45   6.09  +1.22  +2.74|   205   +30
Centerville 52  -6  71  39| 0.89   6.17   4.35  +0.05  +1.01|   190   +45
Marion      51  -6  71  37| 1.54   6.83   5.10  +0.27  +1.53|   136   +10
Pickstown   54  -3  74  42| 1.21   7.59   5.72  +1.83  +2.45|   202   +54
Vermillion  54  -5  72  35| 1.49   7.97   4.85  +1.81  +1.32|   247   +35
Yankton     53  -5  75  37| 0.88   8.49   5.31  +2.77  +2.10|   188   +33


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