Released: November 10, 2003 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending November 9, 2003 SD-CW4503 Volume 52 Issue 45

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Temperatures were well below normal for much of the state last week, with precipitation slowing harvest progress, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included row crop harvest, fall tillage and fertilization, baling corn stalks, weaning and selling calves, moving cattle to fall grazing, and winterizing equipment. Statewide, there were 3.0 days 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:   Cold,wet weather was common throughout the state again last week, with temperatures averaging 19 degrees below normal. Newell had the low temperature for the week, at 9 degrees below zero, with Spearfish reporting the highest temperature for the week, at 51 degrees. Snow or rain fell across much of the state, with only 3 stations receiving no moisture. Faulkton, at 0.62 inch, received the most precipitation.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels improved slightly with the rain and snow received last week. Topsoil moisture is rated very short to short across 69 percent of the state, up 7 percentage points from the previous week. Subsoil moisture improved slightly and is rated at 47 percent very short, 33 percent short, and 20 percent adequate. Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 34.7 degrees last week.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Wet and icy fields delayed harvest activities for some farmers last week, with the cold weather also hindering wheat emergence. The corn crop is 94 percent harvested, well ahead of last year's 67 percent and the five-year average of 83 percent. Sorghum harvest nears completion, with 97 percent of the crop harvested, compared to last year's 86 percent and the five-year average of 90 percent. Sunflower harvest, at 96 percent, is also wrapping up ahead of last year's 84 percent and the five-year average of 91 percent. Winter wheat emergence, at 85 percent, is behind last year's 96 percent and the five- year average of 91 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    With the cool, wet weather of last week, farmers and ranchers continued to use crop residues and stalk bales as additional feed sources. Feed supplies are similar to last week, with stock water supplies falling slightly. Cattle and sheep remained in mostly fair to excellent condition last week.

        SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
               AS OF November 9, 2003 

TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING    Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     30    40    18     47     50    28
Short      39    36    27     33     32    30
Adeq.      31    24    52     20     18    39
Surplus     0     0     3      0      0     3
 



           CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                  AS OF November 9, 2003 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat  12      18     38      29      3
Winter Rye     2      36     26      34      2
Cattle         0       5     20      62     13
Sheep          0       9     21      56     14




                   CROP PROGRESS 
               AS OF November 9, 2003  1/
                                                      
                                                                       
                  This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent

Corn        
 grain harvested     94     87     67      83
Sorghum     
 grain harvested     97     96     86      90
Sunflower   
 harvested           96     90     84      91
Winter wheat
 emerged             85     81     96      91
 

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


      SOIL TEMPERATURES  WEEK ENDING November 9, 2003
                     (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP
          
Beresford      33              Gettysburg   36
Brookings      32              Nisland      39
Caputa         37              Pierre       38
Chamberlain    38              Redfield     34
Cottonwood     32              Watertown    31






	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  WEEK ENDING November 9, 2003
                                     
             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       16 -22  31   0| 0.00  16.63  12.70  +0.51  -1.46
Buffalo     17 -20  33   0| 0.06  11.26   9.14  -2.07  -3.01
Dupree      15 -23  28  -4| 0.34  12.28   9.99  -3.63  -4.23
Mc_Intosh   11 -26  23  -4| 0.27  12.83  11.73  -2.92  -2.55
Newell      12 -25  29  -9| 0.47  12.48  10.06  -1.93  -2.85
Timber_Lake 15 -23  27  -2| 0.42  13.67  11.56  -3.18  -3.33
Aberdeen    17 -20  37  -7| 0.20  17.67  16.67  -0.06  +1.12
Eureka      17 -18  30   0| 0.11  17.69  17.15  +1.44  +2.48
Faulkton    18 -19  37   0| 0.62  18.19  15.97  +0.35  +0.23
Mobridge    17 -21  28   3| 0.08  11.87  11.25  -4.25  -2.97
Roscoe      14 -22  28  -1| 0.26  17.97  16.29  +0.05  +0.29
Britton     18 -19  36   1| 0.32  21.06  20.57  +3.04  +4.26
Clear_Lake  17 -20  39  -6| 0.47  17.52  15.39  -5.51  -4.73
Sisseton    20 -18  40   1| 0.00  17.05  16.73  -2.87  -0.76
Webster     17 -19  36   5| 0.00  20.38  19.36  +0.31  +1.58
Watertown   20 -17  39   2| 0.03  15.97  14.99  -5.26  -3.71
Faith       16 -23  27   0| 0.02   9.26   8.34  -6.66  -5.77
Milesville  16 -23  28  -5| 0.20  12.49   9.50  -4.79  -5.86
Long_Valley 22 -19  44   3| 0.40  17.08  14.44  -0.08  -0.85
Philip      19 -22  35   3| 0.22  11.35   9.71  -4.05  -4.05
Rapid_City  19 -21  33   0| 0.29  10.56   8.96  -5.25  -4.91
Spearfish   21 -19  51  -1| 0.20  20.46  16.36  -0.40  -1.71
Chamberlain 22 -18  41   6| 0.59  20.04  18.00  +3.22  +2.95
Highmore    21 -18  36   2| 0.20  15.08  13.84  -3.84  -3.01
Huron       21 -18  39   3| 0.35  15.48  14.28  -3.68  -2.13
Onida       17 -22  29   0| 0.21  16.66  14.54  -0.76  -0.55
Pierre      21 -19  37   4| 0.02  12.54  11.40  -5.25  -4.35
Brookings   19 -18  40   0| 0.18  18.74  17.93  -3.31  -2.14
Madison     22 -16  44   5| 0.31  17.92  16.91  -4.72  -2.62
Mitchell    23 -17  43   6| 0.32  22.19  20.08  +1.43  +1.95
Sioux_Falls 26 -13  46   8| 0.30  20.47  19.32  -1.96  -0.32
Custer      19 -18  40  -1| 0.41  18.42  15.39  +0.34  -0.81
Hot_Springs 23 -19  49   2| 0.41  17.35  14.29  +2.14  +0.57
Oelrichs    19 -22  34  -2| 0.45  16.12  13.59  +0.09  -0.52
Porcupine   22 -17  39   0| 0.10  13.56  10.33  -1.71  -3.46
Murdo       20 -19  35   6| 0.50  13.69  11.47  -3.53  -3.49
Winner      26 -16  45  11| 0.49  16.57  14.54  -5.92  -5.12
Armour      26 -15  46   5| 0.11  22.96  21.60  +1.19  +2.71
Centerville 26 -14  46   8| 0.21  25.89  24.07  +2.18  +3.14
Marion      24 -15  44   8| 0.37  23.67  21.94  +0.75  +2.01
Pickstown   26 -16  48  11| 0.30  18.47  16.60  -2.57  -1.95
Vermillion  29 -14  45  11| 0.59  24.84  21.72  +1.52  +1.03
Yankton     26 -15  44   8| 0.52  28.19  25.01  +5.87  +5.20



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