Released: April 19, 2004 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending April 18, 2004 SD-CW1604 Volume 53 Issue 16

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Rain showers moved across some areas of the state last week, with many farmers and ranchers still needing more precipitation to improve soil moisture levels, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Major farm activities included calving and lambing, feeding livestock, fixing fences, fertilizer application, preparing ground for row crops, and seeding of small grains. Statewide there were 6.4 days reported 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:   Temperatures in the upper 40's and lower 50's last week averaged 4.3 degrees above normal for the state. The high for the week was 92 degrees in Vermillion, with the low of 7 degrees found in Custer. Many areas of the state received precipitation last week, however, 19 of the 43 reporting weather stations received no moisture. Spearfish received the most moisture, at 0.50 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:    Last week's precipitation did little to improve soil moisture levels for the state. Topsoil moisture levels decreased last week with ratings at 18 percent very short, 39 percent short, and 43 percent adequate. Subsoil moisture levels also decreased last week with 30 percent rated adequate to surplus, compared to the rating of 36 percent adequate to surplus for the previous week. Soil temperatures, at an average 52.4 degrees, continued to be above normal last week.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Small grain seeding made good progress last week, with barley, oats, and spring wheat seeding advancing well ahead of last year's progress. Barley is now 52 percent seeded, with 10 percent emerged. Oats are 64 percent seeded, with 16 percent emerged. Spring wheat is now 77 percent seeded, well ahead of last year's 58 percent and the five-year average of 37 percent. Spring wheat is 17 percent emerged, ahead of last year's 6 percent and the five- year average of 5 percent. Winter wheat condition has deteriorated over the last week with only 32 percent rated good to excellent, compared to the previous week's 42 percent rated good to excellent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Calving and lambing continue to progress well, with calving 69 percent complete and lambing 70 percent complete. The lack of severe weather has helped to keep calf and sheep and lamb deaths at a minimum this year. Both calf and lamb deaths are mostly average or below average. Several reporters have mentioned that the lack of moisture is taking its toll on range and pastures, causing many farmers and ranchers to delay returning cattle to pasture until more moisture is received. However, the rating of cattle moved to pasture is at 15 percent, ahead of last year's 8 percent and the five-year average of 7 percent. Range and pasture condition is currently rated at 18 percent good to excellent, compared to last week's 23 percent good to excellent. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly fair to excellent condition. Feed supplies remain similar to last week, with 70 percent rated adequate to surplus. Stock water supplies deteriorated last week with 43 percent rated adequate to surplus, compared to last year's 49 percent and the five-year average of 61 percent rated adequate to surplus.

                FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                           AS OF April 19, 2004 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      8    25     7     32     19    6
Short      22    32    14     25     32   13
Adeq.      66    41    53     43     48   54
Surplus     4     2     6      0      1    7



                    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                           AS OF April 19, 2004 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short     18    14    14     42     33    27
Short      39    30    25     28     31    36
Adeq.      43    55    60     30     35    37
Surplus     0     1     1      0      1     0


                         CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                           AS OF April 19, 2004 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat  11      23     34      28      4
Cattle         0       1     21      63     15
Sheep          0       1     19      66     14
Range &                                        
  Pasture     16      26     40      17      1 
     



                  CROP PROGRESS AS OF April 19, 2004  1/
                                                       
                                                                         
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 seeded              52     26     35      22
 emerged             10      2      2       1
Spring wheat 
 seeded              77     44     58      37
 emerged             17      4      6       5
Oats        
 seeded              64     39     47      30
 emerged             16      4      9       4

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



               SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING April 19, 2004
                               (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      58              Gettysburg   51
Brookings      53              Nisland      52
Caputa         49              Pierre       53
Chamberlain    54              Redfield     50
Cottonwood     57              Watertown    48
   

                                                     
            TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        WEEK ENDING April 19, 2004
                                     
             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       48  +4  72  17| 0.00   1.98   0.00  -1.32  -1.28|    33   +15
Buffalo     49  +5  75  18| 0.45   0.86   0.45  -1.09  -0.28|    51   +33
Dupree      49  +4  75  11| 0.41   1.99   0.44  -0.79  -0.60|    34   +12
Mc Intosh   47  +3  73  20| 0.26   1.74   0.31  -0.82  -0.73|    20    +3
Newell      47  +3  75  14| 0.00   1.46   0.00  -0.94  -0.86|    40   +21
Timber Lake 49  +4  76  15| 0.27   2.50   0.31  -0.68  -0.86|    29    +8
Aberdeen    49  +4  79  18| 0.01   2.50   0.01  -0.86  -1.11|    41   +17
Eureka      50  +6  75  16| 0.06   1.45   0.06  -1.28  -1.04|    32   +18
Faulkton    48  +4  80  17| 0.10   2.81   0.22  -0.55  -0.98|    38   +22
Mobridge    49  +4  79  14| 0.01   1.06   0.03  -2.09  -1.16|    44   +24
Roscoe      46  +0  76  19| 0.03   3.13   0.03  -0.19  -1.31|    17    -4
Britton     52  +7  74  20| 0.04   1.58   0.04  -1.20  -0.99|    53   +29
Clear Lake  47  +3  75  19| 0.00   1.97   0.00  -2.32  -1.32|    31   +14
Sisseton    48  +3  77  15| 0.00   1.70   0.00  -2.08  -1.29|    38   +14
Webster     51  +7  75  21| 0.02   2.95   0.02  -0.40  -0.99|    39   +18
Watertown   48  +4  75  14| 0.01   1.38   0.01  -2.45  -1.23|    37   +20
Faith       48  +3  74  15| 0.17   0.92   0.20  -2.00  -0.86|    52   +28
Milesville  53  +6  80  15| 0.10   2.12   0.13  -0.82  -0.84|    64   +34
Long Valley 54  +7  83  11| 0.00   2.00   0.02  -1.12  -1.17|    73   +48
Philip      51  +4  86  13| 0.00   0.86   0.05  -1.77  -0.90|    82   +54
Rapid City  50  +6  79  18| 0.03   2.03   0.09  -1.02  -0.97|    77   +60
Spearfish   53  +9  74  20| 0.50   2.98   0.56  -1.40  -0.96|    63   +45
Chamberlain 48  +0  81  16| 0.00   3.30   0.08  +0.33  -1.07|    52   +19
Highmore    53  +6  81  16| 0.05   2.32   0.05  -1.16  -1.29|    63   +40
Huron       52  +5  82  14| 0.00   3.23   0.07  -0.79  -1.14|    69   +43
Onida       51  +4  81  16| 0.10   2.85   0.11  -0.72  -1.07|    52   +28
Pierre      51  +5  85  18| 0.01   2.37   0.01  -0.89  -1.16|    77   +51
Brookings   47  +3  75  15| 0.00   1.81   0.00  -1.42  -1.19|    28   +15
Madison     49  +4  77  17| 0.00   1.93   0.03  -2.66  -1.38|    35   +17
Mitchell    48  +0  78  19| 0.00   3.00   0.04  -1.09  -1.35|    40   +11
Sioux Falls 52  +5  79  21| 0.10   3.68   0.11  -0.64  -1.35|    60   +35
Custer      44  +4  67   7| 0.15   1.74   0.26  -1.18  -0.74|    21   +15
Hot Springs 52  +5  78  16| 0.00   2.24   0.08  -0.15  -0.78|    56   +22
Oelrichs    50  +3  80  13| 0.08   2.00   0.16  -1.03  -0.90|    64   +36
Porcupine   48  +3  83   8| 0.00   2.72   0.10  +0.30  -0.80|    55   +36
Murdo       50  +5  83  21| 0.00   2.58   0.13  -0.98  -1.11|    67   +49
Winner      55  +6  83  16| 0.00   3.58   0.00  -0.83  -1.52|    96   +52
Armour      53  +5  80  20| 0.00   3.47   0.10  -0.82  -1.24|    68   +28
Centerville 51  +4  81  21| 0.00   4.40   0.17  +0.29  -1.10|    58   +31
Marion      49  +3  77  20| 0.04   3.44   0.04  -1.14  -1.47|    43   +22
Pickstown   51  +3  82  20| 0.00   2.72   0.10  -1.24  -1.30|    58   +28
Vermillion  57  +7  92  20| 0.00   4.81   0.00  +0.79  -1.33|    96   +44
Yankton     50  +3  81  21| 0.12   5.37   0.12  +1.66  -1.03|    58   +26



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