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Released: August 17, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending August 16, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 23

GENERAL
Small grain harvest is nearing completion after a week of dry weather, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Row crops matured rapidly, but, along with range and pastures, need rain in many areas. Statewide, there were 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork.

Based on information from county agents, farm service agency county directors, and other reporters.

SOIL MOISTURE
After a dry week, the northwest corner and a small section in the northeast are still reporting short soil moisture conditions. The rest of the state continues to have adequate subsoil and topsoil conditions, with a small section in the northeast reporting surplus subsoil conditions. 



    SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON -AUGUST 14

               TOPSOIL         SUBSOIL
          This  Last Last  This  Last  Last
RATING    Week  Week Year  Week  Week  Year

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      2     2    1     2     1     0
Short      14     8   14     8     9     8
Adeq.      77    80   77    80    76    80
Surplus     7    10    8    10    14    12


CROPS
Producers made good progress harvesting small grains this week, with spring wheat, oats and barley 86, 90, and 92 percent harvested, up 31, 18, and 22 points from last week. Corn is 17 percent dented, compared to 3 percent last year and the five-year average of 4 percent. Soybeans are 82 percent setting pods and 4 percent dropping leaves, ahead of the five-year averages of 66 and 2 percent. Sunflower has 34 percent of ray flowers dry, up 4 points from last week. Sorghum is 19 percent turning color, 8 points ahead of last year and 10 points ahead of the five-year average. Producers are concerned that the large grasshopper population will damage the soybean crop. Red sunflower weevils are also a major concern. 



  CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - AUGUST 16

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Alfalfa       0       3     18      64     15
Corn          0       2      8      56     34
Sorghum       0       1     13      78      8
Soybeans      0       3     12      54     31
Flaxseed      0       4     25      61     10
Sunflower     0       6     13      63     18
Livestock     0       0      7      71     22
Range &  
    Pasture   1       3     16      62     18


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Livestock are in good condition this week, despite humid weather, with 93 percent reported good to excellent and 7 percent fair. Flies and pink eye are still problems for cattle. Range and pasture are showing the effects of dry weather, with 20 percent very poor to fair and 80 percent good to excellent. Stock water supplies are 6 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Statewide, average temperatures ranged from 3 degrees below at Pickstown to 3 degrees above normal at Lemmon and Custer. The highest temperature was 97 degrees at Pierre. The lowest temperature was 47 degrees at Watertown. Sioux City received the most precipitation with 1.01 inches, while many locations received none. 


             

 CROP PROGRESS 1/ - AUGUST 16
                                                                                    
                 This   Last   Last    5-Yr.
ITEM             Week   Week   Year     Ave
  
  
                            Percent
Barley  
 ripe             98     94      90     93 
 harvested        92     70      59     68
Spring wheat
 ripe             99     96      87     89
 harvested        86     55      52     58   
Oats       
 ripe             99     96      91     93
 harvested        90     72      71     77
Corn
 silked           98     88      89     84
 dough            61     40      25     25
 dented           17      8       3      4
 mature            4      0       0      0
Flaxseed
 ripe             92     90      66     37
 harvested        58     56       5      3 
Sorghum
 headed           61     42      74     62
 coloring         19      8      11      9
Soybeans
 blooming         95     93      96     88 
 setting pods     82     72      79     66
 dropping leaves   4      0       1      2  
Sunflower
 blooming         84     69      75     79
 ray flowers dry  34     30       6     11
 bracts yellow    32     30       2      7
 mature            5      0       0      0
Alfalfa    
 cut twice        88     79      77     75
 third cutting    24     20      NA     NA
Other Hay  
 harvested        82     82      89     78  

1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.
NA = Not available

                                     


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Growing Degree Days |    Temperature past week            
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                 GDD       Departure|          Departure                  
                 Since     from     |  Ave     from        High   Low     
Dist  Station    April 6   normal   |          normal                     
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                      - - - - - - Degrees - - - - - -     
NW  Lemmon            1848       123        74        3       94       56       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          2006        66        71       -1       89       51       
    Mobridge          2052        87        75        2       94       57       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         1853        37        70        0       84       47       
    Webster           1954       183        68       -2       86       53       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            1994       -65        73       -2       92       55       
    Rapid City        1788       -56        72        0       93       55       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       2058       -41        73        0       89       58       
    Highmore          2167       216        73        1       91       57       
    Huron             2169       108        73        0       89       54       
    Pierre            2283       167        77        2       97       56       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         1879       132        68       -1       86       47       
    Flandreau         1918        47        69       -1       84       50       
    Forestburg        2146        67        70       -2       86       56       
    Madison           1956        77        69       -2       86       50       
    Mitchell          2182        11        72       -2       88       55       
    Sioux Falls       1985      -103        71       -2       86       51       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap         NA        NA        NA       NA       NA       NA                   
    Custer            1314        70        67        3       84       50       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         2062       -58        72       -1       87       58       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            2262       102        72       -2       88       55       
    Centerville       2144        38        72        0       86       53       
    Marion            2076       -22        70       -2       82       55       
    Menno             2288       115        72       -1       85       56       
    Pickstown         2122      -129        73       -3       91       57       
    Sioux City        2285       -37        72       -2       89       50       
    Yankton           2311       113        74        1       89       57       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1/ Growing degree days are calculated by subtracting 50 degrees (F)     
     base temperature from the average of the maximum and minimum         
     temperatures for the day. The daily maximum is limited to 86         
     degrees (F) and daily minimum of 50 degrees (F). NA=Not Available.   
                                                                          
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                     Precipitation                        
               -----------------------------------------------------------
                            Totals             |  Departure from normal   
               -----------------------------------------------------------
Dist  Station     Weekly     Yearly  Since 4/1 | Weekly  Yearly  Since 4/1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 - - - - - - - - - - - - Inches - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
NW  Lemmon            0.11      5.81      3.79    -0.31    -8.09    -8.04       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          0.00     20.25     17.33    -0.49     6.76     5.97       
    Mobridge          0.05      8.90      7.74    -0.37    -3.68    -2.98       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         0.00     15.00     13.19    -0.63    -0.67     0.00       
    Webster           0.04     27.17     23.02    -0.62    12.20    10.30       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            0.42     20.32     17.12     0.07     8.12     6.52       
    Rapid City        0.30     15.18     12.47    -0.09     2.70     1.89       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       0.00     16.48     14.23    -0.49     1.72     1.70       
    Highmore          0.00     17.53     14.57    -0.56     2.97     2.03       
    Huron             0.00     18.61     15.12    -0.45     3.87     3.07       
    Pierre            0.01     14.68     11.14    -0.40     0.66    -0.88       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         0.25     11.52      9.95    -0.38    -4.49    -4.12       
    Flandreau         0.08     15.20     12.25    -0.55    -0.27    -1.15       
    Forestburg        0.06     18.53     16.09    -0.36     3.26     3.45       
    Madison           0.00     16.95     14.42    -0.69     0.32     0.84       
    Mitchell          0.17     18.18     15.06    -0.32     2.63     2.08       
    Sioux Falls       0.00     22.11     16.86    -0.63     6.34     3.82       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap       0.61     14.64     10.44     0.26     1.29    -1.16       
    Custer            0.04     13.00      8.77    -0.45    -1.39    -3.78       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         0.00     16.49     13.84    -0.63    -1.81    -1.76       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            0.00     21.64     18.39    -0.49     5.19     4.76       
    Centerville       0.39     23.57     19.26    -0.30     5.99     4.41       
    Marion            0.00     17.42     14.27    -0.61     0.85     0.63       
    Menno             0.08     20.49     17.38    -0.48     3.80     3.27       
    Pickstown         0.00     22.09     19.43    -0.52     6.41     6.18       
    Sioux City        1.01     25.60     20.33     0.31     7.89     5.77       
    Yankton           0.54     25.35     21.23    -0.09     8.65     6.98       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
bar chart showing crop progress compared to the last 10 years

                                     
 
 
 
South Dakota county map showing topsoil moisture South Dakota county map showing subsoil moisture

Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Black & White Crosshatched Topsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
Black & White Crosshatched Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
 

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