>State Statisticsl Report R:rf

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SOUTH DAKOTA CROP-WEATHER SUMMARY Released: May 4, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending May 3, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 8

GENERAL Weekend rains slowed fieldwork and corn planting progress for many parts of the state, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Although many producers were not able to get back into the fields until late in the week, 23 percent of the corn was seeded at week's end. Major activities consisted of spreading fertilizer, spraying for insects, preparing for row crop planting, fixing fence, calving, lambing, branding and moving cattle. Statewide, there were 4.2 days suitable for fieldwork.

This report is based on information from county agents, farm service agency county directors and other reporters.


SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - MAY 1
               TOPSOIL           SUBSOIL
          This  Last  Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week  Year  Week  Week  Year
                        Percent
Very 
 Short      1     2     0     0     0     0
Short       8    11     0     6     5     0
Adeq.      69    75    48    70    76    46
Surplus    22    12    52    24    19    54

CROPS Producers continued with small grain seeding last week, remaining well ahead of the very late 1997 year. Good progress was also made planting corn which advanced 15 percentage points. Spring wheat and oat seeding made the most progress as they increased 19 points, with some producers completing seeding by week's end. Barley seeding increased 18 points from last week to 85 percent complete. In addition to the small grain, producers also seeded 7 percent of the sorghum and 24 percent of the flax. Both are well ahead of the 5-year average and last year's progress. Producers have reported spring wheat as 46 percent emerged which is ahead of the five-year average of 11 percent. Barley and oats emerged are also well ahead of the five-year averages of 8 and 11 percent, respectively. Winter wheat condition is reported 91 percent good to excellent, with 40 percent reported in boot. Spring wheat condition is reported 83 percent good to excellent. Alfalfa condition is reported 2 percent poor, 18 percent fair, 59 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. Army cutworms are still being reported in alfalfa and winter wheat fields in isolated areas of the state. Topsoil and subsoil conditions declined in the northwestern part of the state, while in the southeast and northeast areas, they were to the point of surplus situations.


CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - MAY 3
ITEM     V POOR    POOR   FAIR   GOOD  EXCEL
                         Percent
Winter Wheat  0       0      9     61     30
Winter Rye    0       0      6     58     36
Alfalfa       0       2     18     59     21
Spring Wheat  0       1     16     63     20
Barley        0       1     19     57     23
Oats          0       1     15     65     19
Livestock     0       1      6     65     28
Range &  
    Pasture   1       2     15     65     17

LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE Livestock are in good to excellent condition, with 42 percent of the cattle moved to pasture. Some cattle were moved to avoid the muddy conditions in lots, but the majority of cattle will be moved as soon as pastures green-up. Lambing and calving are 83 percent complete. Feed supplies were 95 percent adequate to surplus, with stock water supplies 99 percent adequate to surplus. Range and pasture is 82 percent good to excellent with 18 percent being reported very poor to fair.

WEATHER Average temperatures ranged from 42 to 56 degrees statewide over the last week. Milesville and Lemmon had the highest average high temperature of 72 degrees. There was light rainfall across the state with Mitchell and Pierre receiving the highest average precipitation for the week with 0.95 and 0.91 inches respectively.


CROP PROGRESS - MAY 3
                This   Last    Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week    Year   Ave
                          Percent
Barley  
 seeded           85     67       4    31
 emerged          40     15       0     8   
Spring wheat
 seeded           89     70      11    42
 emerged          46     23       0    11 
Oats       
 seeded           87     68      12    36
 emerged          45     20       0    11  
Corn
 seeded           23      8       4     7
 emerged           3      0       NA   NA
Flaxseed
 seeded           24     NA       0     2
Sorghum
 seeded            7     NA       0     2

AVERAGE SOIL TEMPERATURES
WEEK ENDING MAY 3  (4-inch Depth)
LOCATION       TEMP        LOCATION      TEMP 
Beresford        55        Gettysburg      54
Brookings        52        Nisland         56
Caputa           49        Pierre          55
Chamberlain      55        Redfield        51
Cottonwood       53        Watertown       54


AGRICULTURAL DATA FOR THE PAST WEEK ENDING SUNDAY

STATION      AVERAGE   AVERAGE    AVERAGE     PRECIPITATION   GROWING
              HIGH       LOW     TEMPERATURE                DEGREE DAYS

SIOUX FALLS    65         37         51            0.10          8
SIOUX CITY     66         43         54            0.10          36
MITCHELL       66         39         52            0.95          22
PICKSTOWN      65         38         52            0.76          11
YANKTON        67         40         54            0.47          28
WINNER         68         38         53             NA           19
HURON          67         40         54            0.13          26
BROOKINGS      67         35         51            0.02          7
WATERTOWN      65         39         52            0.12          10
KENNEBEC       69         35         52            0.07          14
MURDO          65         40         52            0.01          24
PIERRE         68         40         54            0.91          35
COTTONWOOD     66         30         48            0.02          0
OELRICHS       68         29         48             NA           0
RAPID CITY     69         33         51            0.02          7
DEEFIELD       61         23         42            0.00          0
HOT SPRINGS    70         30         50            0.00          10
LEAD           62         36         49            0.06          0
ABERDEEN       67         39         53            0.26          23
MILBANK        71         40         56            0.05          40
WAUBAY         68         43         56            0.00          51
MOBRIDGE       65         38         52            0.44          14
FAULKTON       NA  	  NA         NA            0.23          NA
MILESVILLE     72         33         52            0.00          7
LEMMON         72         38         55            NA            32

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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