>State Statisticsl Report R:rf

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Released: April 27, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending April 26, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 7

GENERAL Producers around the state took advantage of the warm weather and sunshine to make sizable progress with small grain seeding and begin corn planting, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Even though late weekend rains halted fieldwork in some areas of the state, major activities consisted of small grain seeding, spreading fertilizer, preparing for row crop planting, fixing fence, calving, lambing, branding, and moving cattle. Statewide, there were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork.

This report is based on information from county agents and other reporters around the state.


SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON
               TOPSOIL           SUBSOIL
          This  Last  Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week  Year  Week  Week  Year
                        Percent
Very 
 Short      2     0     0      0     0     0
Short      11     7     0      5     3     0
Adeq.      75    74    40     76    74    39
Surplus    12    19    60     19    23    61

CROPS Producers made significant progress in small grain seeding this week, well ahead of the very late 1997 year. Barley seeding made the most progress, as it increased 41 points from last week, while oats increased 40 points to 68 percent complete. Spring wheat is also well ahead of the minimal planting progress made in 1997, as well as the 30 percent completion in 1996. The warmer temperatures have producers preparing for row crop planting, with 8 percent of the corn acreage already seeded. Producers have reported spring wheat as 23 percent emerged, which is ahead of the five-year average of 5 percent. Barley and oats emerged are also well ahead of the five-year averages of 3 and 5 percent, respectively. Topsoil conditions were rated as 12 percent surplus, 75 percent adequate, 11 percent short, and 2 percent very short, while subsoil was 19 percent surplus, 76 percent adequate, and 5 percent short. Winter wheat condition is reported 91 percent good to excellent. Spring wheat condition is reported 79 percent good to excellent. Alfalfa condition is reported 2 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 65 percent good, and 17 percent excellent. Army cutworms are still being reported in alfalfa and winter wheat fields in isolated areas of the state.


CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS       
ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL
                          Percent
Winter Wheat    0      1      8     62      29
Winter Rye      0      0      4     61      35
Alfalfa         0      2     16     65      17
Spring Wheat    0      2     19     65      14
Livestock       0      1      6     68      25
Range &  
    Pasture     0      2     21     60      17

LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE Livestock are in good to excellent condition, with 29 percent of the cattle moved to pasture. Some cattle were moved to pasture to avoid the muddy conditions in lots, but the majority of cattle will be moved as soon as pastures green-up. Lambing is 83 percent complete, ahead of last year's 74 percent. Calving is 77 percent complete, ahead of last year's 72 percent. The warmer, drier weather has aided conditions for newborn calves and livestock. Feed supplies were 95 percent adequate to surplus, with stock water supplies 99 percent adequate to surplus. Range and pasture is 77 percent good to excellent,with 23 percent reported poor to fair.

WEATHER Average temperatures generally ranged from 41 to 56 degrees statewide over the last week. Kennebec had the highest temperature of 71 degrees. The lowest temperature was 23 degrees at Deerfield. Although some areas had none, there was light to moderate rainfall across the state. Watertown and Sioux City received the highest average precipitation for the week with 2.74 and 2.53 inches, respectively.


CROP PROGRESS 
              This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM          Week   Week   Year   Ave
                        Percent
Barley  
 seeded         67     26      1      17
 emerged        15     NA      0       3   
Spring wheat
 seeded         70     38      2      23
 emerged        23     NA      0       4    
Oats       
 seeded         68     28      4      23
 emerged        20     NA      0       4  
Corn
 seeded          8     NA      0       1
 emerged         0     NA     NA      NA

AVERAGE SOIL TEMPERATURES
(FOR WEEK ENDING APRIL 26, 1998)
(4-inch Depth)
LOCATION        TEMP       LOCATION        TEMP 
Beresford        53        Gettysburg       51
Brookings        49        Nisland          52
Caputa           47        Pierre           52
Chamberlain      52        Redfield         48
Cottonwood       50        Watertown        51

AGRICULTURAL DATA FOR THE PAST WEEK ENDING SUNDAY

STATION      AVERAGE   AVERAGE    AVERAGE     PRECIPITATION   GROWING
              HIGH       LOW     TEMPERATURE                DEGREE DAYS

SIOUX FALLS    64         38         51            1.89          1
SIOUX CITY     69         40         54            2.53          4
MITCHELL       64         42         53            2.21          3
PICKSTOWN      60         39         50            2.37          0
YANKTON        59         40         50            0.45          0
WINNER         69         43         56            0.20          6
HURON          66         42         54            1.69          4
BROOKINGS      65         37         51            0.71          1
WATERTOWN      64         38         51            2.74          1
KENNEBEC       71         40         56            0.33          6
MURDO          61         40         50            0.06          0
PIERRE         67         42         54            0.96          4
COTTONWOOD     65         35         50            0.01          0
OELRICHS       65         31         48            0.00          0
RAPID CITY     66         36         51            0.00          1
DEEFIELD       59         23         41            0.00		 NA 
HOT SPRINGS    68         30         49            0.00          0
LEAD           60         36         48            0.00          0
ABERDEEN       67         40         54            1.39          4
MILBANK        67         37         52            0.74          2
WAUBAY         64         40         52            0.00          2
MOBRIDGE       66         39         52            0.44          2
FAULKTON       66         41         54            1.13          4
CAMP CROOK     65         32         48            0.00		 NA         
MILESVILLE     68         39         54            0.00          4
LEMMON         69         39         54            0.08          4

bar chart showing crop progress compared to the last 10 years

Chart image in 'TIF' format for publishers

South Dakota county map showing topsoil moisture

Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers

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