Released: November 01, 2004 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending October 31, 2004 SD-CW4404 Volume 53 Issue 44

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Wet weather continued to delay harvest progress for many farmers and ranchers last week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. With precipitation received in many areas throughout the state, corn moisture remains too high for harvest and wet fields continue to postpone harvest of sorghum and sunflowers. Major farm activities included combining row crops, fall tillage, working cattle, and caring for livestock. Statewide, 3.9 days were 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 ranged from 2 to 11 degrees above normal for the state last week, with average temperatures in the mid 40's to lower 50's. Pickstown reported the high for the week, at 80 degrees; while Newell, Aberdeen, and Madison all reported the low, at 22 degrees. Precipitation was received at all of the 43 reporting weather stations across the state, with Dupree, at 2.73 inches, receiving the most precipitation.

SOIL CONDITION:    Topsoil moisture levels improved in several areas throughout the state, with ratings at 80 percent adequate to surplus, compared to the previous week's 77 percent adequate to surplus. Precipitation did little to improve subsoil moisture levels last week, with ratings at 66 percent adequate to surplus. Soil temperatures averaged 5.2 degrees above normal last week, with the average soil temperature at 49 degrees.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    With damp weather continuing to hinder the drying of corn in the field and wet ground keeping harvesting equipment out of fields, harvest progress remains behind average for several areas. Soybean harvest nears completion, with 95 percent harvested, while corn harvest, at 33 percent complete, remains well behind last year's progress of 82 percent and the five-year average of 71 percent. Sorghum harvest advanced 17 percentage points last week, with harvest 71 percent complete, well behind last year's 94 percent and the average 84 percent. Sunflower harvest advanced to 35 percent complete, well behind last year's 87 percent and the average of 82 percent. Winter wheat emergence is currently rated at 91 percent complete, ahead of last year's 79 percent and the average of 83 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Many producers reported that last week's precipitation was beneficial to range and pasture conditions, with ratings remaining similar to the previous week, at 36 percent good to excellent. Farmers and ranchers continue to utilize field residue as an additional feed source. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly fair to excellent condition.

                                     
          SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                 AS OF OCTOBER 31, 2004 
               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      5     6    40     14     15    49
Short      15    17    35     20     20    32
Adeq.      72    73    25     63     63    19
Surplus     8     4     0      3      2     0
                    

             CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                 AS OF OCTOBER 31, 2004 
ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Sunflower     11      11     37      36      5
Winter wheat   0       4     23      61     12
Cattle         0       2     17      63     18
Sheep          0       3     13      63     21
Range &                                        
Pasture       11      20     33      31      5
     
                         
       CROP PROGRESS AS OF OCTOBER 31, 2004  1/ 
                                                                                        

                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn        
 grain harvested     33     21     82      71
Sorghum     
 mature             100     97    100     100
 grain harvested     71     54     94      84
Soybeans    
 harvested           95     90     99      96
Sunflower   
 harvested           35     28     87      82
Winter wheat
 seeded             100     97    100      99
 emerged             91     78     79      83

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



SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING OCT. 31, 2004
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

Beresford      52              Gettysburg   48
Brookings      49              Nisland      49
Caputa         48              Pierre       51
Chamberlain    51              Redfield     48
Cottonwood     47              Watertown    47





	        TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                 WEEK ENDING October 31, 2004
                                     
             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       47  +5  67  30| 1.89  13.75  11.77  -2.21  -2.17
Buffalo     47  +7  70  31| 0.89   9.99   9.58  -3.19  -2.38
Dupree      44  +2  60  28| 2.73  19.45  17.90  +3.70  +3.89
Mc Intosh   45  +5  61  27| 1.45  14.37  12.94  -1.27  -1.18
Newell      44  +4  72  22| 0.99  11.89  10.43  -2.36  -2.28
Timber Lake 45  +4  57  28| 1.85  16.48  14.29  -0.20  -0.38
Aberdeen    47  +7  59  22| 0.84  21.19  18.70  +3.62  +3.37
Eureka      47  +8  60  25| 1.26  16.52  15.13  +0.40  +0.64
Faulkton    45  +4  62  24| 0.76  25.35  22.76  +7.70  +7.27
Mobridge    47  +5  60  27| 1.65  14.71  13.68  -1.25  -0.32
Roscoe      43  +3  57  24| 0.80  22.49  19.39  +4.75  +3.63
Britton     48  +8  59  26| 0.73  21.18  19.64  +3.37  +3.58
Clear Lake  46  +5  69  31| 2.61  33.24  31.27 +10.57 +11.57
Sisseton    48  +6  58  35| 1.09  22.96  21.26  +3.23  +4.02
Webster     45  +6  58  28| 1.43  24.29  21.36  +4.46  +3.87
Watertown   48  +8  69  30| 2.24  26.08  24.71  +5.15  +6.37
Faith       46  +4  65  29| 2.63  19.31  18.59  +3.55  +4.69
Milesville  47  +4  69  29| 1.72  20.88  18.89  +3.79  +3.77
Long Valley 49  +5  75  30| 0.87  17.18  15.20  +0.18  +0.13
Philip      48  +4  73  26| 1.54  15.23  14.42  -0.01  +0.86
Rapid City  49  +6  78  31| 0.34  13.04  11.10  -2.60  -2.55
Spearfish   45  +3  70  28| 0.54  14.46  12.04  -6.12  -5.68
Chamberlain 48  +4  74  29| 0.96  23.91  20.69  +7.25  +5.85
Highmore    48  +6  69  26| 1.05  24.25  21.98  +5.53  +5.40
Huron       49  +7  72  24| 2.06  28.40  25.24  +9.48  +9.13
Onida       46  +4  68  26| 1.92  19.57  16.83  +2.30  +1.95
Pierre      48  +5  71  25| 1.04  17.84  15.48  +0.21  -0.06
Brookings   46  +7  70  24| 0.22  24.75  22.94  +2.96  +3.19
Madison     46  +5  69  22| 0.02  26.44  24.54  +4.13  +5.41
Mitchell    48  +6  72  28| 0.69  29.94  26.98  +9.36  +9.10
Sioux Falls 50  +8  71  23| 0.02  29.94  26.37  +7.83  +7.12
Custer      41  +2  65  23| 0.15  11.75  10.27  -6.17  -5.73
Hot Springs 47  +3  74  29| 0.01  12.26  10.10  -2.79  -3.42
Oelrichs    48  +4  71  29| 0.01  11.58   9.74  -4.29  -4.16
Porcupine   49  +8  74  32| 0.83  14.67  12.05  -0.44  -1.54
Murdo       46  +4  72  32| 0.66  17.53  15.08  +0.50  +0.37
Winner      51  +6  78  34| 0.44  22.04  18.46  -0.20  -0.89
Armour      51  +7  75  27| 0.48  23.15  19.78  +1.62  +1.20
Centerville 52  +9  73  29| 0.12  26.12  21.89  +2.71  +1.32
Marion      49  +8  72  28| 0.41  31.75  28.35  +9.05  +8.72
Pickstown   51  +7  80  32| 0.17  20.48  17.89  -0.32  -0.35
Vermillion  57 +11  78  26| 0.10  26.58  21.77  +3.59  +1.47
Yankton     52  +9  79  27| 0.08  29.84  24.59  +7.85  +5.16

Source: National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.