Released: July 6, 2004 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending July 4, 2004 SD-CW2704 Volume 53 Issue 27

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Crop maturity is generally lagging behind last year and the five-year average for all crops due to continued below-normal temperatures, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. The cooler weather has, however, mitigated some moisture loss in drier parts of the state. Some areas of western South Dakota received much needed rainfall last week, but the precipitation was very spotty with only localized heavy rains. In addition to weed control, haying, and livestock maintenance, producers are beginning to prepare for winter wheat harvest. Statewide, 5.4 days were 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:   Last week, statewide, average temperatures were two degrees below normal. The week's high of 95 degrees occurred in Philip, while Custer recorded the week's low of 35 degrees. Welcomed rains fell across much of the west. The north central location of Faulkton saw the most rainfall last week, with 1.80 inches.

SOIL CONDITION:    Soil moisture conditions are essentially unchanged from last week. Sixty-nine percent of the state's topsoil and 58 percent of the subsoil is rated adequate. Rains were welcomed in drier, western regions of the state last week. However, additional widespread rainfall is needed to improve soil moisture conditions, due to the region's prolonged drought.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Field crops, aside from winter wheat, are in generally good to excellent condition; however, cool weather is slowing maturity. Last week, less than 10 percent of the barley, oats, and spring wheat crop had turned color. Last year, up to 20 percent of the spring-seeded small grains were turning color. The first corn cultivation/spraying was completed slightly ahead of last year's pace; however, the average corn height is 2 inches shorter than last year and the five-year average. Eleven percent of soybeans are blooming, which is 5 points behind last year and 3 points behind the five-year average. Sorghum planting is complete and is 91 percent emerged.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Cattle and sheep remain in predominately good to excellent condition, while range and pasture conditions are mostly fair to good. Many producers continue to deal with adverse haying conditions. First cutting alfalfa harvest, currently rated at 79 percent complete, compares to 94 percent one year ago. Sixty-eight percent of the state has adequate feed supplies, which is behind last year, but well ahead of the five-year average.

         FEED AND WATER SUPPLIES COMPARISON
                 AS OF July 4, 2004 

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

                       Percent
Very
 Short     12     5     8     21     14   11
Short      15    17    13     22     21   14
Adeq.      68    75    55     53     61   50
Surplus     5     3     4      4      4    5
 

         SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                  AS OF July 4, 2004 

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      8     8     5     17     17    11
Short      16    13    17     21     21    23
Adeq.      69    72    66     58     57    58
Surplus     7     7    12      4      5     8

             

           CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                   AS OF July 4, 2004 

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat 13      24     32      23      8
Spring Wheat   5       5     19      49     22
Barley        16       7     17      49     11
Oats           8       7     21      51     13
Corn           1       2     17      62     18
Soybeans       0       3     19      61     17
Sorghum        0       0     25      73      2
Sunflower      1       4     34      54      7
Alfalfa        8      11     20      48     13
Cattle         0       2     14      65     19
Sheep          0       7     12      58     23
Range &                                        
  Pasture      7      15     33     34     11  


          CROP PROGRESS AS OF July 4, 2004  1/
                                                      
                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Barley        
 boot                99     92     97      96
 headed              75     61     83      77
 turning color        6      2     17      16
Spring wheat 
 headed              96     83     93      85
 turning color        9      2     20      18
Oats        
 boot                99     93     99      95
 headed              86     69     90      81
 turning color        9      2     14      19
Corn        
 ave. height (in.)   26     18     28      28
 1st cult or sprayed 98     91     96      87
 2nd cult or sprayed 55     30     53      40
Sorghum     
 emerged             91     75     NA      NA
Soybeans    
 blooming            11      0     16      14
Winter wheat
 turning color       78     38     73      70
 ripe                 3      1      6      13
 harvested            1      0      0       1
Alfalfa     
 1st cutting         79     64     94      88
 2nd cutting         11      2      9      12
Other hay   
 cut                 39     22     59      46

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



     



   

                                                     
            TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION, AND GROWING DEGREE DAYS
                        WEEK ENDING July 4, 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       71  +2  90  46| 0.96   7.28   5.30  -3.13  -3.09|   725   -82
Buffalo     71  +3  93  50| 0.95   3.84   3.43  -4.49  -3.68|   701   -54
Dupree      72  +0  91  42| 1.54   8.96   7.41  -1.22  -1.03|   808   -97
Mc Intosh   70  -1  90  46| 1.08   6.24   4.81  -3.31  -3.22|   718  -127
Newell      69  -2  90  42| 0.00   6.60   5.14  -2.52  -2.44|   675  -115
Timber Lake 70  -1  88  43| 0.58   7.75   5.56  -2.80  -2.98|   750  -132
Aberdeen    70  -2  87  48| 0.06  11.95   9.46  +1.76  +1.51|   744  -163
Eureka      71  +2  89  47| 0.31   8.38   6.99  -1.08  -0.84|   780   -39
Faulkton    70  -2  90  46| 1.80  13.25  10.66  +2.74  +2.31|   758  -116
Mobridge    71  +0  92  45| 0.35   7.27   6.24  -2.77  -1.84|   788  -115
Roscoe      69  -3  86  46| 0.31  12.24   9.14  +1.35  +0.23|   625  -255
Britton     71  +0  87  48| 0.13  11.17   9.63  +0.84  +1.05|   847   -87
Clear Lake  68  -3  84  48| 0.13  11.84   9.87  -0.56  +0.44|   651  -263
Sisseton    71  -1  88  51| 0.02   9.48   7.78  -1.64  -0.85|   761  -206
Webster     69  -2  84  51| 0.00  10.30   7.37  -0.56  -1.15|   693  -206
Watertown   69  -3  86  45| 0.45  10.74   9.37  -1.08  +0.14|   716  -183
Faith       71  -1  90  50| 1.25   7.65   6.93  -2.57  -1.43|   743  -155
Milesville  71  -2  91  46| 0.11  10.45   8.46  -0.12  -0.14|   875  -101
Long Valley 72  -1  93  50| 1.79   7.84   5.86  -2.82  -2.87|   961    +4
Philip      71  -4  95  42| 0.00   6.13   5.32  -3.45  -2.58|   948   -55
Rapid City  70  +0  90  45| 0.73   6.70   4.76  -3.27  -3.22|   800   +25
Spearfish   70  +2  92  49| 1.14   8.44   6.02  -5.44  -5.00|   763   +31
Chamberlain 70  -5  89  47| 0.47  12.98   9.76  +2.89  +1.49|   916  -182
Highmore    71  -2  89  47| 0.69  11.47   9.20  +0.58  +0.45|   893   -73
Huron       71  -3  88  43| 0.47  12.35   9.19  +0.79  +0.44|   916   -55
Onida       72  -2  90  46| 0.22   8.38   5.64  -2.10  -2.45|   873  -130
Pierre      73  -1  93  48| 0.38   7.90   5.54  -3.13  -3.40|   954   -63
Brookings   69  -2  86  44| 0.26  12.77  10.96  +0.81  +1.04|   717  -102
Madison     69  -3  87  42| 0.26  12.26  10.36  -0.36  +0.92|   789  -115
Mitchell    69  -5  87  46| 0.61  15.10  12.14  +2.67  +2.41|   840  -249
Sioux Falls 71  -3  88  45| 0.29  19.32  15.75  +7.08  +6.37|   946   -56
Custer      60  -4  82  35| 0.38   5.77   4.29  -4.86  -4.42|   384   -71
Hot Springs 68  -4  90  40| 0.50   5.34   3.18  -3.87  -4.50|   856   -50
Oelrichs    69  -4  93  40| 0.38   4.92   3.08  -5.25  -5.12|   875   -54
Porcupine   70  -4  93  43| 0.63   6.79   4.17  -2.66  -3.76|   827   -75
Murdo       72  -2  91  51| 0.20   8.69   6.24  -2.18  -2.31|   868   -81
Winner      73  -2  90  52| 0.15  14.93  11.35  +1.44  +0.75|  1135   -46
Armour      72  -3  89  44| 0.06  14.02  10.65  +1.14  +0.72|  1050   -92
Centerville 69  -4  87  47| 0.94  15.19  10.96  +1.86  +0.47|   958  -100
Marion      69  -4  87  46| 0.99  17.13  13.73  +4.13  +3.80|   855  -155
Pickstown   70  -4  91  47| 0.00  11.88   9.26  -0.46  -0.52|   979  -104
Vermillion  71  -4  87  46| 0.32  18.95  14.14  +5.79  +3.67|  1182   -62
Yankton     70  -5  89  49| 1.40  17.90  12.65  +5.12  +2.43|   990  -104



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