Released: September 2, 2003 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending August 31, 2003 SD-CW3503 Volume 52 Issue 35

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    High temperatures and minimal precipitation last week led to a decline in crop conditions, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. With livestock also feeling the stress of little moisture, several farmers and ranchers have reported the need to haul water to livestock. Major farm activities included cutting hay, fall planting field preparations, spraying, working summer fallow, and caring for livestock. 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 2 to 7 degrees above normal last week. The high topped out at 103 degrees in Faith, Milesville, Onida, and Philip, while the low of 37 degrees was found in Aberdeen. Precipitation varied across the state, with several areas reporting no moisture and others reporting a half inch or more. Spearfish, at 0.87 inch, received the most precipitation.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels declined last week, with levels even lower than last year at this time. Topsoil is currently rated at 14 percent adequate to surplus, compared to last week's 22 percent, and last year's 51 percent. Eighty-six percent of the state's topsoil is rated short or very short of moisture. Subsoil is rated at 20 percent adequate to surplus, compared to last week's 25 percent, and last year's 35 percent.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    With crops getting no relief from the hot, dry weather, conditions deteriorated last week. Corn progress is behind last year and the five- year average, with 89 percent in the dough stage, compared to 91 percent a year ago, and 44 percent dented, compared to 54 percent last year. Six percent is rated mature, also below last year and the five-year average. Soybeans are at 28 percent dropping leaves, ahead of last year's 25 percent, with 3 percent rated mature, compared to 2 percent a year ago. Sorghum is 54 percent coloring, with 5 percent mature. Sunflower is 96 percent blooming, 57 percent have ray flowers dry, and 34 percent have bracts yellow. Three percent of the sunflower are mature, compared to 1 percent at this time last year. Silage harvest, pushed by hot dry weather, is now ahead of the five-year average, with corn silage 21 percent harvested, and sorghum silage 35 percent harvested. Winter wheat seeding has started and is 4 percent complete, in line with the five- year average.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Livestock conditions declined slightly last week, along with stock water and feed supplies. Range and pasture also feel the stress of heat and lack of moisture, with only 20 percent rated good to excellent, compared to the previous week's 27 percent. Alfalfa condition is currently rated at 29 percent good to excellent, compared to the previous week's 35 percent. Third cutting of alfalfa continues, with 63 percent harvested.

        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
               AS OF August 31, 2003 

TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING    Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     45    38    19     42     35    32
Short      41    40    30     38     40    33
Adeq.      14    22    47     20     25    32
Surplus     0     0     4      0      0     3

 



           CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                  AS OF August 31, 2003 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Corn           7      19     26      40      8
Alfalfa       18      22     31      26      3
Sorghum       37      19     20      21      3
Soybeans       5      17     25      45      8
Sunflower     20      22     39      18      1
Cattle         1       6     23      57     13
Sheep          1      16     17      51     15
Range &                                       
   Pasture    21      26     33      18      2



                   CROP PROGRESS 
               AS OF August 31, 2003  1/
                                                      
                                                                       
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent

Corn        
 dough               89     70     91      90
 dented              44     18     54      53
 mature               6      3     16      10
 silage harvested    21     11     27      15
Sorghum     
 coloring            54     39     61      55
 mature               5      1      6       6
 silage harvested    35     10     35      17 
Soybeans    
 dropping leaves     28     16     25      21
 mature               3      0      2       3
Sunflower   
 blooming            96     93     98      96
 ray flowers dry     57     36     54      59
 bracts yellow       34     15     33      38
 mature               3      1      1       4
Winter wheat
 seeded               4      0      6       4
Winter rye  
 seeded               4      0      8       7
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         63     35     55      51

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



            TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        WEEK ENDING August 31, 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       72  +5 100  43| 0.07  12.98   9.05  -0.61  -2.58|  2292  +259
Buffalo     72  +7 102  45| 0.34   7.36   5.24  -3.61  -4.55|  2395  +463
Dupree      72  +4 100  44| 0.13   9.73   7.44  -3.71  -4.31|  2455  +225
Mc Intosh   71  +5 100  38| 0.04  10.94   9.84  -2.19  -1.82|  2174   +87
Newell      70  +3 101  48| 0.56   9.51   7.09  -2.42  -3.34|  2301  +277
Timber Lake 71  +5  99  40| 0.06  11.06   8.95  -3.14  -3.29|  2267  +140
Aberdeen    69  +3  94  37| 0.00  15.33  14.33  +0.76  +1.94|  2139    -8
Eureka      71  +6  96  41| 0.04  15.75  15.21  +2.30  +3.34|  2313  +308
Faulkton    72  +6 101  42| 0.03  15.99  13.77  +1.22  +1.10|  2270  +170
Mobridge    73  +6 100  41| 0.06  10.45   9.83  -2.99  -1.71|  2414  +230
Roscoe      69  +3 100  42| 0.07  15.80  14.12  +0.76  +1.00|  2000  -105
Britton     69  +3  95  43| 0.29  17.93  17.44  +3.35  +4.57|  2347  +160
Clear Lake  70  +4  93  46| 0.20  14.22  12.09  -4.18  -3.40|  2019   -90
Sisseton    69  +2  91  43| 0.04  15.85  15.53  -0.26  +1.85|  2166   -66
Webster     71  +5  94  48| 0.00  17.22  16.20  +0.81  +2.08|  2142   +40
Watertown   70  +4  92  43| 0.10  13.50  12.52  -3.54  -1.99|  2086   -32
Faith       73  +5 103  44| 0.24   7.01   6.09  -6.44  -5.55|  2449  +233
Milesville  74  +4 103  46| 0.17  10.12   7.13  -4.26  -5.33|  2580  +220
Long Valley 73  +4  98  51| 0.20  15.52  12.88  +0.82  +0.05|  2541  +217
Philip      74  +4 103  50| 0.21   9.28   7.64  -3.72  -3.72|  2643  +216
Rapid City  72  +6 101  49| 0.10   8.40   6.80  -4.88  -4.54|  2398  +397
Spearfish   70  +5  96  49| 0.87  16.20  12.10  -0.97  -2.28|  2345  +434
Chamberlain 75  +4  99  48| 0.13  17.41  15.37  +3.24  +2.97|  2457   -98
Highmore    73  +4  96  43| 0.04  13.51  12.27  -2.17  -1.34|  2491  +178
Huron       73  +5  96  39| 0.03  12.37  11.17  -3.33  -1.78|  2438  +148
Onida       72  +2 103  40| 0.01  14.57  12.45  -0.16  +0.05|  2381    +0
Pierre      74  +4 102  42| 0.03  10.58   9.44  -4.24  -3.34|  2546  +101
Brookings   68  +4  95  41| 0.33  14.04  13.23  -3.41  -2.24|  1968   +48
Madison     70  +4  96  40| 0.19  13.37  12.36  -4.70  -2.60|  2097    +4
Mitchell    72  +4  96  47| 0.25  17.87  15.76  +1.20  +1.72|  2256  -202
Sioux Falls 73  +5  96  47| 0.17  14.50  13.35  -2.77  -1.13|  2324   +20
Custer      65  +4  87  45| 0.38  15.49  12.46  +0.11  -1.04|  1474  +149
Hot Springs 71  +3  96  53| 0.09  14.16  11.10  +1.46  -0.11|  2298   +97
Oelrichs    73  +4  99  53| 0.12  13.53  11.00  -0.03  -0.64|  2383   +82
Porcupine   71  +3 100  52| 0.22  10.94   7.71  -2.00  -3.75|  2351  +122
Murdo       73  +5  99  50| 0.36  11.50   9.28  -3.04  -3.00|  2520  +224
Winner      75  +4  96  49| 0.10  14.76  12.73  -3.95  -3.15|  2784  +120
Armour      74  +5  96  48| 0.00  19.38  18.02  +1.82  +3.34|  2538   -10
Centerville 73  +6  95  50| 0.11  19.00  17.18  -0.02  +0.94|  2339   +16
Marion      72  +5  95  47| 0.32  18.23  16.50  +0.22  +1.48|  2208   -71
Pickstown   77  +7  99  50| 0.12  14.65  12.78  -2.15  -1.53|  2546   +53
Vermillion  74  +4  97  49| 0.00  16.29  13.17  -2.48  -2.97|  2587   -59
Yankton     74  +6  97  51| 0.27  22.00  18.82  +3.94  +3.27|  2394   -46

 

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