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Released: August 24, 1998 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending August 23, 1998 Volume 47 Issue 24

GENERAL
Hot and humid weather conditions aided row crop progress last week, according to USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Corn and soybean progress continues ahead of the five-year average, but is still in need of rain in many areas, with some of the crops showing signs of stress.

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

SOIL MOISTURE
After mid-week rains around the state, the northwest corner is still reporting short soil moisture conditions, along with a small section in the extreme northeast. The rest of the state continues to have adequate subsoil and topsoil conditions. 



SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON -AUGUST 21

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      5     2    2     1     2     0
Short      21    14   14    16     8     8
Adeq.      70    77   76    76    80    80
Surplus     4     7    8     7    10    12


CROPS
Continued warm weather aided producers in completing harvest of small grains, with spring wheat, oats, and barley 96, 98, and 97 percent harvested, up 10, 8, and 5 points from last week. Row crop development was spurred by the hot, humid weather last week. Corn is 29 percent dented and 11 percent mature, compared to 15 and 3 percent last year and the five-year averages of 11 and 1 percent, respectively. Soybeans are 92 percent setting pods and 8 percent dropping leaves, ahead of the five-year averages of 83 and 5 percent. Sunflower has 37 percent of ray flowers dry and 35 percent of the bracts yellow, both up 3 points from last week. Sorghum is 33 percent turning color and 2 percent mature, compared to 15 and 0 percent last year, and 16 and 0 percent for the five-year averages, respectively. There is still concern that the large grasshopper population will damage the soybean crop. 



 CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - AUGUST 23

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Alfalfa       0       6     26      53     15
Corn          0       2      8      55     35
Sorghum       0       2     11      76     11
Soybeans      0       3     12      54     31
Sunflower     0       1     14      67     18
Livestock     0       1      7      70     22
Range &  
    Pasture   1       4     21      58     16


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Hot, humid weather last week caused livestock to suffer slightly, with their condition rated 92 percent good to excellent and 8 percent poor to fair. Producers continue to treat cattle for pink eye. Range and pasture are still showing the effects of the dry weather, with 26 percent very poor to fair and 74 percent good to excellent. Stock water supplies are 2 percent very short, 7 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus.

WEATHER
Temperatures averaged above normal last week in most areas of the state. Statewide, these averages ranged from 3 degrees above normal at Lemmon to 8 degrees above normal at Highmore. The highest temperature was 104 degrees at Pierre, with the lowest temperature of 52 degrees at Flandreau, Custer, and Lemmon. Little precipitation was received in many locations across the state. Lemmon received the most precipitation with 1.65 inches, while Webster received the least with 0.01 inch. 


             


             CROP PROGRESS 1/ - AUGUST 23
                                                                                    
                 This   Last   Last    5-Yr.
ITEM             Week   Week   Year     Ave
  
  
                            Percent
Barley  
 harvested        97     92      76     88
Spring wheat
 harvested        96     86      75     79   
Oats       
 harvested        98     90      88     91
Corn
 dough            80     61      57     46
 dented           29     17      15     11
 mature           11      4       3      1
 silage harvested  4      0       0      0
Flaxseed
 ripe             95     92      80     54
 harvested        68     58      13     12 
Sorghum
 headed           78     61      81     76
 coloring         33     19      15     16
 mature            2      0       0      0
 silage harvested  5      0       1      0
Soybeans
 blooming         97     95     100     95 
 setting pods     92     82      95     83
 dropping leaves   8      4       6      5
 mature            0      0       2      1  
Sunflower
 blooming         91     84      91     93
 ray flowers dry  37     34      30     35
 bracts yellow    35     32      14     17
 mature            7      5       0      1
Winter Wheat
 seeded            4      0       0      0
 emerged           1      0       0      0 
Winter Rye  
 seeded           16      0       0      0
 emerged           1      0       0      0 
Alfalfa    
 cut twice        90     88      83     81
 third cutting    36     24      NA     NA
Other Hay  
 harvested        88     82      94     83  

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            2009       152        72        3       91       52       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          2165        82        74        4       89       55       
    Mobridge          2223       111        76        5       94       57       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         2011        63        74        6       94       56       
    Webster           2123       225        75        7       93       58       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            2167       -43        77        4       97       59       
    Rapid City        1967       -20        75        5       95       57       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       2252         0        79        7       99       61       
    Highmore          2357       260        78        8       97       61       
    Huron             2356       144        78        7       97       62       
    Pierre            2466       190        81        7      104       61       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         2056       187        75        7       95       59       
    Flandreau         2089        89        74        6       92       52       
    Forestburg        2350       124        79        8       97       61       
    Madison           2145       132        76        6       91       61       
    Mitchell          2380        54        79        7       98       63       
    Sioux Falls       2169       -67        77        6       91       65       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap         NA        NA        NA       NA       NA       NA                   
    Custer            1416        72        68        5       86       52       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         2253       -21        78        6       96       64       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            2457       143        79        7       95       66       
    Centerville       2339        90        76        6       88       66       
    Marion            2268        25        76        5       88       64       
    Menno             2486       164        78        6       91       66       
    Pickstown         2314      -103        80        6       98       67       
    Sioux City        2480         1        79        7       92       67       
    Yankton           2509       155        80        8       94       66       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
  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            1.65      7.58      5.56     1.25    -6.72    -6.67       
                                                                                
NC  Aberdeen          0.06     20.31     17.39    -0.43     6.33     5.54       
    Mobridge          0.81      9.71      8.55     0.40    -3.28    -2.58       
                                                                                
NE  Watertown         0.05     15.05     13.24    -0.58    -1.25    -0.58       
    Webster           0.01     27.10     22.95    -0.62    11.50     9.60       
                                                                                
WC  Philip            0.28     20.60     17.40    -0.07     8.05     6.45       
    Rapid City        0.85     16.02     13.31     0.50     3.19     2.38       
                                                                                
 C  Chamberlain       0.03     16.50     14.25    -0.43     1.28     1.26       
    Highmore          0.08     17.61     14.65    -0.41     2.56     1.62       
    Huron             0.05     18.66     15.17    -0.37     3.50     2.70       
    Pierre            0.15     14.83     11.29    -0.20     0.46    -1.08       
                                                                                
EC  Brookings         0.14     11.16      9.59    -0.49    -5.48    -5.11       
    Flandreau         0.18     15.22     12.27    -0.45    -0.88    -1.76       
    Forestburg        0.12     18.58     16.14    -0.30     2.89     3.08       
    Madison           0.19     17.14     14.61    -0.44    -0.12     0.40       
    Mitchell          0.17     17.30     14.18    -0.32     1.26     0.71       
    Sioux Falls       0.25     22.36     17.11    -0.38     5.96     3.44       
                                                                                
SW  Buffalo Gap       0.81     15.45     11.25     0.46     1.75    -0.70       
    Custer            1.60     14.62     10.39     1.15    -0.22    -2.61       
                                                                                
SC  Bonesteel         0.50     17.69     15.04    -0.13    -1.24    -1.19       
                                                                                
SE  Armour            0.46     22.10     18.85    -0.03     5.16     4.73       
    Centerville       0.58     24.19     19.88    -0.05     5.98     4.40       
    Marion            0.24     17.66     14.51    -0.39     0.46     0.24       
    Menno             0.29     20.41     17.30    -0.27     3.16     2.63       
    Pickstown         0.12     22.21     19.55    -0.37     6.04     5.81       
    Sioux City        0.60     26.20     20.93    -0.06     7.83     5.71       
    Yankton           0.18     24.13     20.01    -0.45     6.80     5.13       
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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