Released: November 29, 2004 -- 3:00 pm CST For Week ending November 28, 2004 SD-CW4804 Volume 53 Issue 48

AGRICULTURAL SUMMARY:    Another week with warm temperatures allowed many producers throughout the state to make advancements in row crop harvest, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. However, scattered precipitation kept some fields wet, causing harvest of low lying fields to be further delayed. Major farm activities included row crop harvest, fall tillage, working cattle, fixing fence, and caring for livestock. Statewide, 6.0 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 were above normal for much of the state last week, with average temperatures in the 30's. The high temperature for the week was 60 degrees, reported in Philip, with the low for the week at 10 degrees, reported in Brookings. Precipitation was scattered with many stations reporting some precipitation received. Vermillion reported the most precipitation, at 0.42 inch.

SOIL CONDITION:    Scattered precipitation did little to change soil moisture levels last week. Topsoil last week was rated at 81 percent adequate to surplus, with subsoil rated at 68 percent adequate to surplus. The average soil temperature for the state was 35.9 degrees, only 1.9 degrees above normal.

FIELD CROPS REPORT:    Harvest nears completion, with many producers only waiting for a hard freeze to allow final harvest of fields in low-lying areas. Corn harvest has reached 93 percent completion, behind last year's 100 percent and the five-year average of 99 percent. Sorghum harvest also nears completion with harvest 96 percent complete, behind last year's 100 percent complete. Sunflower harvest has reached 97 percent completion, behind last year's 100 percent and the five-year average of 99 percent.

LIVESTOCK, PASTURE, AND RANGE REPORT:    Mild weather continues to be beneficial to the condition of cattle and sheep throughout the state. Cattle and sheep remain in mostly good to excellent condition. Many producers continue to utilize field residue to save on feed supplies. Feed supplies were rated 75 percent adequate to surplus. Stock water supplies were rated at 62 percent adequate to surplus.

                                     
          SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
                 AS OF November 28, 2004 
               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
         This   Last  Last  This   Last  Last
RATING   Week   Week  Year  Week   Week  Year
                       Percent
Very 
 Short      5     4    NA     14     12    NA
Short      14    14    NA     18     16    NA
Adeq.      75    73    NA     65     66    NA
Surplus     6     9    NA      3      6    NA
     
                    

             CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS
                 AS OF November 28, 2004 
ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent

Winter wheat   0       0     24      56     20
Cattle         0       1     17      62     20
Sheep          0       0     10      70     20
     
                         
       CROP PROGRESS AS OF November 28, 2004  1/ 
                                                                                        

                    This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM                Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
                         Percent
Corn        
 grain harvested     93     87    100      99
Sorghum     
 grain harvested     96     94    100     100
Sunflower   
 harvested           97     89    100      99

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



SOIL TEMPERATURES WEEK ENDING November 28, 2004
                (4-inch Depth)

LOCATION      TEMP             LOCATION   TEMP

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





	        TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
                 WEEK ENDING November 28, 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       31  +6  54  14| 0.00  12.51  10.53  -3.95  -3.91
Buffalo     32  +7  54  13| 0.05  10.06   9.65  -3.52  -2.71
Dupree      30  +4  54  13| 0.02  19.53  17.98  +3.39  +3.58
Mc Intosh   30  +6  51  13| 0.17  14.58  13.15  -1.45  -1.36
Newell      31  +5  52  17| 0.00  12.05  10.59  -2.65  -2.57
Timber Lake 30  +5  50  13| 0.13  16.70  14.51  -0.47  -0.65
Aberdeen    30  +7  53  11| 0.07  21.42  18.93  +3.29  +3.04
Eureka      31  +8  52  13| 0.06  16.65  15.26  +0.04  +0.28
Faulkton    31  +8  52  14| 0.08  25.77  23.18  +7.61  +7.18
Mobridge    34  +8  54  14| 0.04  14.80  13.77  -1.65  -0.72
Roscoe      29  +6  51  14| 0.04  22.71  19.61  +4.44  +3.32
Britton     29  +5  45  15| 0.06  21.83  20.29  +3.42  +3.63
Clear Lake  30  +5  47  16| 0.10  33.67  31.70 +10.03 +11.03
Sisseton    31  +6  51  17| 0.07  23.26  21.56  +2.71  +3.50
Webster     30  +6  46  19| 0.00  24.36  21.43  +3.86  +3.27
Watertown   31  +7  47  16| 0.12  26.46  25.09  +4.75  +5.97
Faith       33  +7  56  18| 0.02  19.40  18.68  +3.21  +4.35
Milesville  33  +6  57  19| 0.20  21.08  19.09  +3.51  +3.49
Long Valley 34  +4  56  19| 0.06  17.46  15.48  +0.05  +0.00
Philip      35  +5  60  17| 0.01  15.29  14.48  -0.36  +0.51
Rapid City  35  +5  57  18| 0.00  13.14  11.20  -3.02  -2.97
Spearfish   33  +3  51  17| 0.01  14.82  12.40  -6.54  -6.10
Chamberlain 34  +7  56  18| 0.13  24.18  20.96  +7.15  +5.75
Highmore    32  +6  51  15| 0.00  24.42  22.15  +5.17  +5.04
Huron       34  +9  50  14| 0.00  28.67  25.51  +9.08  +8.73
Onida       33  +7  53  17| 0.04  19.77  17.03  +1.91  +1.56
Pierre      34  +6  55  18| 0.05  18.15  15.79  +0.05  -0.22
Brookings   30  +6  48  10| 0.00  25.21  23.40  +2.67  +2.90
Madison     31  +6  49  14| 0.00  26.84  24.94  +3.53  +4.81
Mitchell    33  +5  51  16| 0.13  30.78  27.82  +9.35  +9.09
Sioux Falls 34  +8  53  15| 0.06  30.75  27.18  +7.62  +6.91
Custer      29  -1  48  14| 0.03  11.92  10.44  -6.53  -6.09
Hot Springs 33  +1  53  18| 0.10  12.50  10.34  -2.96  -3.59
Oelrichs    34  +4  55  19| 0.25  12.18  10.34  -4.21  -4.08
Porcupine   33  +6  56  14| 0.08  15.00  12.38  -0.51  -1.61
Murdo       34  +7  58  17| 0.01  17.72  15.27  +0.16  +0.03
Winner      38  +7  58  20| 0.05  22.61  19.03  -0.30  -0.99
Armour      35  +6  51  17| 0.00  23.73  20.36  +1.41  +0.99
Centerville 33  +5  52  13| 0.30  27.93  23.70  +3.62  +2.23
Marion      33  +6  50  16| 0.20  32.94  29.54  +9.18  +8.85
Pickstown   37  +7  56  23| 0.22  21.48  18.89  -0.11  -0.14
Vermillion  36  +6  54  15| 0.42  28.52  23.71  +4.51  +2.39
Yankton     35  +6  55  18| 0.30  31.11  25.86  +8.22  +5.53

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






    LAST CROP-WEATHER REPORT FOR 2004

This issue concludes the weekly reports for
2004 made possible by the dedicated county
extension educators, Farm Service Agency county
directors, and farmers and ranchers who
supplied the necessary information.  

Reports will be issued monthly during the winter 
season starting January 3.

                                Thank you!