Released: November 17, 2003 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending November 16, 2003 SD-CW4603 Volume 52 Issue 46

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Temperatures were slightly above normal for much of the state last week, 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, hauling hay, and winterizing equipment. Statewide, there were 4.7 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:   Warmer and dry weather was common throughout the state again last week, with temperatures averaging 3 degrees above normal. Roscoe had the lowest average temperature for the week, at 29 degrees; while Winner, at 46 degrees, reported the highest average temperature for the week. Last week Newell had the lowest daily temperature, at 7 degrees, and Winner reported the highest daily temperature, at 66 degrees. Only traces of precipitation fell across much of the state. Porcupine received the most precipitation, at 0.19 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels changed slightly since last week. Topsoil moisture is rated very short to short across 70 percent of the state, down 1 percentage point from the previous week. Subsoil moisture improved slightly and is rated at 47 percent very short, 32 percent short, and 21 percent adequate. Soil temperatures from reporting stations averaged 36.6 degrees last week, 1.9 degrees above the previous week. On average, soil temperatures were about 0.4 degree below normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Harvest continues to wind down as the last sorghum, sunflower, and corn fields are combined. The corn crop is now 98 percent harvested, still ahead of last year's 82 percent and the five-year average of 90 percent. Winter wheat emergence, at 90 percent, is behind last year's 99 percent and the five-year average of 93 percent. Any further emergence will be dependent on warmer weather to aid in germination.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Several farmers continue 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 16, 2003 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING    Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     30    30    18     47     47    28
Short      40    39    24     32     33    28
Adeq.      30    31    56     21     20    43
Surplus     0     0     2      0      0     1



                       CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                         AS OF NOVEMBER 16, 2003 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL


                          Percent

Winter Wheat  14      19     38      25      4
Winter Rye     0      27     40      31      2
Cattle         0       3     21      61     15
Sheep          0       5     16      62     17




             CROP PROGRESS AS OF NOVEMBER 16, 2003  1/                                                                              
                                                
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn        
 grain harvested     98     94     82      90
Winter wheat
 emerged             90     85     99      93

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





               SOIL TEMPERATURES  WEEK ENDING NOV. 16, 2003
                              (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP
          
Beresford      40              Gettysburg   37
Brookings      35              Nisland      38
Caputa         36              Pierre       39
Chamberlain    42              Redfield     34
Cottonwood     37              Watertown    34


                     LAST WEEKLY CROP-WEATHER REPORT

            This issue concludes the weekly reports for 2003
             made possible by the dedicated county extension
            educatiors, farm service agency county directors,
                   and farmers & ranchers who supplied
                      the necessary information.  
                                    
         Reports will be issued monthly during the winter season
                           starting January 5.
                                    
                               Thank You!
                                    
           USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service



	         TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                  WEEK ENDING November 16, 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       34  +2  48  17| 0.00  16.63  12.70  +0.37  -1.60
Buffalo     35  +3  49  19| 0.02  11.28   9.16  -2.16  -3.10
Dupree      33  +0  45  13| 0.02  12.30  10.01  -3.71  -4.31
Mc Intosh   32  -1  42  16| 0.06  12.89  11.79  -2.96  -2.59
Newell      31  -3  51   7| 0.00  12.48  10.06  -2.07  -2.99
Timber Lake 32  -2  45   9| 0.05  13.72  11.61  -3.27  -3.42
Aberdeen    33  +3  44  12| 0.05  17.72  16.72  -0.15  +1.03
Eureka      33  +3  43  14| 0.06  17.75  17.21  +1.36  +2.40
Faulkton    35  +5  49  15| 0.02  18.21  15.99  +0.23  +0.11
Mobridge    32  -1  44  16| 0.12  11.99  11.37  -4.27  -2.99
Roscoe      29  -3  43  13| 0.00  17.97  16.29  -0.09  +0.15
Britton     35  +5  47  14| 0.02  21.08  20.59  +2.92  +4.14
Clear Lake  34  +2  56  14| 0.03  17.55  15.42  -5.74  -4.96
Sisseton    37  +5  52  19| 0.02  17.07  16.75  -3.06  -0.95
Webster     34  +4  50  15| 0.00  20.38  19.36  +0.14  +1.41
Watertown   35  +3  53  13| 0.03  16.00  15.02  -5.44  -3.89
Faith       33  -2  45  15| 0.12   9.38   8.46  -6.68  -5.79
Milesville  36  +2  52  15| 0.05  12.54   9.55  -4.88  -5.95
Long Valley 42  +6  60  20| 0.03  17.11  14.47  -0.17  -0.94
Philip      37  +2  58  17| 0.01  11.36   9.72  -4.16  -4.16
Rapid City  39  +4  54  19| 0.06  10.62   9.02  -5.33  -4.99
Spearfish   40  +5  57  11| 0.02  20.48  16.38  -0.59  -1.90
Chamberlain 40  +5  62  19| 0.02  20.06  18.02  +3.16  +2.89
Highmore    38  +4  51  18| 0.00  15.08  13.84  -3.98  -3.15
Huron       38  +5  54  18| 0.02  15.50  14.30  -3.83  -2.28
Onida       36  +3  51  17| 0.07  16.73  14.61  -0.83  -0.62
Pierre      37  +2  56  18| 0.11  12.65  11.51  -5.28  -4.38
Brookings   34  +3  59  15| 0.04  18.78  17.97  -3.48  -2.31
Madison     36  +4  58  16| 0.00  17.92  16.91  -5.00  -2.90
Mitchell    38  +3  58  18| 0.00  22.19  20.08  +1.22  +1.74
Sioux Falls 40  +6  60  17| 0.00  20.47  19.32  -2.24  -0.60
Custer      35  +2  51  18| 0.00  18.42  15.39  +0.20  -0.95
Hot Springs 40  +3  56  18| 0.00  17.35  14.29  +2.02  +0.45
Oelrichs    38  +2  57  18| 0.00  16.12  13.59  -0.05  -0.66
Porcupine   38  +5  61  17| 0.19  13.75  10.52  -1.63  -3.38
Murdo       38  +4  56  20| 0.02  13.71  11.49  -3.65  -3.61
Winner      46  +9  66  23| 0.00  16.57  14.54  -6.09  -5.29
Armour      42  +7  62  16| 0.00  22.96  21.60  +0.98  +2.50
Centerville 38  +3  60  19| 0.00  25.89  24.07  +1.97  +2.93
Marion      37  +3  59  18| 0.00  23.67  21.94  +0.47  +1.73
Pickstown   42  +5  64  22| 0.00  18.47  16.60  -2.78  -2.16
Vermillion  42  +5  63  15| 0.00  24.84  21.72  +1.24  +0.75
Yankton     38  +2  62  18| 0.00  28.19  25.01  +5.66  +4.99


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