Released: September 15, 2003 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending September 14, 2003 SD-CW3703 Volume 52 Issue 37

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Relief finally came for much of the state last week, as mild temperatures were common and precipitation was received across the majority of the state, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Moisture levels improved, along with crop and livestock conditions. Major farm activities included cutting silage, fixing fences, working ground prior to seeding winter crops, preparing for harvest, cutting hay, 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 were above normal for much of the state, while precipitation was reported at all but one of the 43 reporting weather stations. The high for the week was 95 degrees in Mobridge, with the low of 32 degrees in Custer. Vermillion, at 6.82 inches, received the most precipitation.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil moisture and subsoil moisture showed significant gains, as all but one of the 43 reporting weather stations received rain last week. Topsoil moisture is rated 32 percent adequate to surplus, compared to last week's 9 percent and last year's 51 percent. Subsoil moisture is rated 24 percent adequate, with no surplus, compared to last week's 13 percent adequate and last year's 35 percent adequate.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Rain caused delays for some farmers and their field work last week; however, progress was made in the seeding of winter wheat, now 21 percent seeded. Winter wheat seeding is slightly behind last year's 23 percent and the five-year average of 22 percent. The corn crop continues to develop, with 93 percent dented and 33 percent mature. Both corn dent and maturity advanced ahead of the five-year averages of 87 and 32 percent, respectively. Corn harvest has begun in some areas, with 1 percent of the state's corn being harvested for grain. Soybeans dropping leaves gained 19 percentage points last week and are currently rated at 66 percent, in line with last year yet ahead of the five-year average of 57 percent. Soybeans are rated at 20 percent mature, compared to 18 percent last year. Sorghum is 91 percent turning color with 17 percent mature. Sorghum coloring has advanced ahead of last year's 89 percent, while maturity is behind last year's 25 percent. Sunflower rated 88 percent with ray flowers dry, 62 percent have bracts yellowing, and 21 percent are mature. Sunflower progress is comparable to last year and the five-year average, with harvest at 1 percent complete. Silage harvest advanced, with a 24 percent gain for corn and a 21 percent gain for sorghum. Corn silage harvest is 63 percent complete, with sorghum silage harvest 64 percent complete.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Alfalfa harvest continued last week, with third cutting advancing 8 percentage points at 83 percent complete. Last week's rain helped livestock conditions, as well as the condition of range and pasture. Stock water supplies also improved last week, with 41 percent currently rated adequate to surplus.

        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
               AS OF September 14, 2003 

TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING    Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     43    52    19     42     46    32
Short      25    39    30     34     41    33
Adeq.      31     9    50     24     13    35
Surplus     1     0     1      0      0     0

 



           CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                  AS OF September 14, 2003 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Corn           7      14     30      41      8
Alfalfa       17      25     31      24      3
Sorghum       36      20     20      21      3
Soybeans       6      16     33      41      4
Sunflower     24      25     32      19      0
Cattle         1       5     21      60     13
Sheep          1      16     16      57     10
Range &                                       
   Pasture    21      34     27      16      2



                   CROP PROGRESS 
               AS OF September 14, 2003  1/
                                                      
                                                                       
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent

Corn        
 dented              93     71     91      87
 mature              33     14     35      32
 grain harvested      1      0      2       1
 silage harvested    63     39     55      55
Sorghum     
 coloring            91     81     89      86
 mature              17      9     25      27
 grain harvested      2      1      6       4
 silage harvested    64     43     50      35 
Soybeans    
 dropping leaves     66     47     66      57
 mature              20      6     18      18
 harvested            0      0      0       1
Sunflower   
 ray flowers dry     88     67     87      89
 bracts yellow       62     43     62      69
 mature              21      4     18      17
 harvested            1      0      2       2
Winter wheat
 seeded              21     10     23      22
 emerged              1      0      5       5
Winter rye  
 seeded              25     10     39      31
 emerged              1      0      9      11
Alfalfa     
 3rd cutting         83     75     68      65

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



            TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        WEEK ENDING September 14, 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       64  +3  89  41| 2.59  15.50  11.57  +1.24  -0.73|  2547  +334
Buffalo     62  +3  93  40| 2.78  10.14   8.02  -1.42  -2.36|  2639  +536
Dupree      64  +2  89  42| 0.98  10.71   8.42  -3.29  -3.89|  2716  +284
Mc Intosh   64  +4  83  42| 0.66  11.60  10.50  -2.26  -1.89|  2417  +155
Newell      61  +0  89  36| 1.70  11.21   8.79  -1.29  -2.21|  2504  +301
Timber Lake 65  +4  87  42| 0.88  11.94   9.83  -2.94  -3.09|  2519  +212
Aberdeen    67  +7  91  39| 0.54  15.87  14.87  +0.36  +1.54|  2381   +55
Eureka      67  +7  88  44| 0.75  16.50  15.96  +2.31  +3.35|  2579  +407
Faulkton    67  +7  92  41| 0.71  16.70  14.48  +1.12  +1.00|  2527  +247
Mobridge    69  +8  95  45| 0.54  10.99  10.37  -3.15  -1.87|  2705  +333
Roscoe      66  +6  92  42| 0.79  16.59  14.91  +0.78  +1.02|  2237   -47
Britton     67  +6  85  43| 0.23  18.45  17.96  +2.90  +4.12|  2616  +243
Clear Lake  64  +3  87  41| 1.13  15.35  13.22  -4.19  -3.41|  2236   -51
Sisseton    66  +5  87  45| 0.23  16.08  15.76  -1.00  +1.11|  2398   -24
Webster     61  +2  80  43| 0.33  17.55  16.53  +0.13  +1.40|  2361   +88
Watertown   64  +4  88  41| 0.58  14.08  13.10  -3.96  -2.41|  2312   +17
Faith       66  +4  93  41| 0.91   7.92   7.00  -6.09  -5.20|  2718  +300
Milesville  65  +2  90  42| 0.65  10.77   7.78  -4.31  -5.38|  2848  +272
Long Valley 65  +1  87  41| 0.16  15.68  13.04  +0.35  -0.42|  2811  +267
Philip      68  +4  94  40| 0.63   9.91   8.27  -3.65  -3.65|  2924  +272
Rapid City  63  +2  90  38| 1.07   9.47   7.87  -4.40  -4.06|  2638  +452
Spearfish   59  -2  90  36| 2.42  18.62  14.52  +0.63  -0.68|  2573  +489
Chamberlain 70  +5  93  42| 0.43  17.84  15.80  +3.00  +2.73|  2756   -37
Highmore    67  +5  89  40| 0.45  13.96  12.72  -2.56  -1.73|  2781  +257
Huron       68  +7  92  42| 0.72  13.09  11.89  -3.45  -1.90|  2715  +231
Onida       66  +3  89  42| 0.66  15.23  13.11  -0.21  +0.00|  2655   +59
Pierre      70  +6  93  44| 0.70  11.28  10.14  -4.30  -3.40|  2839  +173
Brookings   62  +2  87  42| 2.28  16.32  15.51  -2.40  -1.23|  2155   +78
Madison     64  +3  89  42| 1.51  14.88  13.87  -4.37  -2.27|  2314   +42
Mitchell    66  +3  90  43| 2.05  19.92  17.81  +2.11  +2.63|  2506  -167
Sioux Falls 65  +3  88  43| 3.59  18.09  16.94  -0.68  +0.96|  2569   +68
Custer      54  -3  77  32| 1.29  16.78  13.75  +0.63  -0.52|  1603  +158
Hot Springs 61  -3  83  37| 1.43  15.59  12.53  +2.27  +0.70|  2508  +100
Oelrichs    62  -3  90  36| 1.03  14.58  12.05  +0.40  -0.21|  2604   +83
Porcupine   63  +0  88  35| 0.45  11.49   8.26  -1.97  -3.72|  2570  +143
Murdo       68  +5  92  44| 0.37  11.87   9.65  -3.23  -3.19|  2806  +303
Winner      72  +6  89  44| 0.00  14.76  12.73  -4.93  -4.13|  3124  +213
Armour      66  +2  86  43| 1.51  20.89  19.53  +2.21  +3.73|  2813   +38
Centerville 64  +2  89  43| 5.27  24.27  22.45  +3.97  +4.93|  2564   +45
Marion      65  +3  89  44| 3.06  21.29  19.56  +1.83  +3.09|  2436   -33
Pickstown   70  +6  98  47| 1.97  16.62  14.75  -1.39  -0.77|  2855  +139
Vermillion  67  +1  88  45| 6.82  23.11  19.99  +3.12  +2.63|  2847   -35
Yankton     64  +0  88  44| 3.66  25.66  22.48  +6.45  +5.78|  2619   -35

 

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