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Released: May 17, 1999 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending May 16, 1999 Volume 48 Issue 10

GENERAL
Another week of wet weather slowed planting progress across the state and had producers searching for dry fields, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. By midweek, some producers were back in the fields planting corn, with 31 percent complete at week's end. Many producers took advantage of the wet weather to complete shop work, fix fences, and move livestock to summer pastures. Statewide, there were 1.5 days suitable for fieldwork.

Based on information from county extension educators, farm service agency county directors and other reporters around the state.

SOIL MOISTURE
Continued wet weather and limited sunshine have soil conditions across the eastern half of the state in a surplus situation, with an occasional pocket of adequate moisture, while the western area of the state is still reporting adequate topsoil and subsoil moisture conditions. 



     
SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - MAY 14 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      0     0    3     0     0     1
Short       0     1    8     0     0     7
Adeq.      45    43   67    50    53    69
Surplus    55    56   22    50    47    23


CROPS
Planting was slowed last week due to the wet weather and fields, but corn acres planted now total 31 percent, up 11 points from last week. Some producers have started planting soybeans, with 6 percent complete. The rain has slowed small grain seeding considerably behind last year's progress, with spring wheat 91 percent completed, 8 points behind last year. Oats are 83 percent completed, up 12 points from last week, but 15 points behind last year. Barley seeding progressed to 81 percent seeded,17 points behind last year. Spring wheat is reported at 77 percent emerged, 21 points ahead of last week. Barley progress is at 62 percent emerged, 16 points behind last year's average, with oats at 60 percent emerged, compared to last year's 78 percent. There were several reports of yellow spots in winter wheat fields, as well as weeds becoming a problem in alfalfa and small grains. 



CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - MAY 16

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       1     13      60     26
Winter Rye     0       1     14      61     24
Alfalfa        0       0      8      67     25
Barley         0       0     10      76     14
Oats           0       0     12      67     21
Spring Wheat   0       1     11      72     16
Sorghum        0       0      0      82     18
Soybeans       0       6     11      66     17
Corn           0       5     12      64     19
Cattle         0       0      8      66     26
Sheep          0       0      5      60     35
Range & 
   Pasture     1       1      8      62     28


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Cattle and sheep remain in good to excellent condition, in spite of wet pasture and lot conditions. There are some isolated reports of scours and pneumonia in calves. Calving is reported at 91 percent complete and lambing at 96 percent complete, compared to 93 percent for both last year. Feed supplies are reported to be 86 percent adequate to surplus, while stock water supplies are 69 percent adequate and 31 percent surplus. Alfalfa hay conditions are 92 percent good to excellent and 8 percent fair. Some producers report first cutting of alfalfa could begin as early as next week. There are several reports of alfalfa weevils and cutworms in alfalfa fields.

WEATHER
Temperatures averaged below normal for the majority of the state last week. Winner, Vermillion, and Yankton reported the highest temperature at 77 degrees. The lowest temperature was 25 degrees in Custer. Rainfall was reported across the state, with the most precipitation, 3.17 inches, in Chamberlain. 


             


         CROP PROGRESS - MAY 16   1/
                                                                                 
                This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 seeded          81     69     98     66   
 emerged         62     36     78     41   
 boot             0      0      0      0   
Spring wheat
 seeded          91     82     99     74   
 emerged         77     56     86     49 
 boot             0      0      2      0  
Oats       
 seeded          83     71     98     71  
 emerged         60     38     78     47  
 boot             0      0      3      1  
Corn    
 planted         31     20     76     45
 emerged          7      0     30      6
Flaxseed
 seeded          49     24     74     25
 emerged         20     11     46     15
Sorghum    
 seeded           1      0     26      8  
Soybeans
 planted          6      2     30     14
 emerged          0      0      7      1 
Sunflower  
 seeded           1      0     18      5  
Winter wheat
 boot            55     50     50     16 
 headed           0      0      3      1 
Winter rye  
 boot            39     19     53     17
 headed           0      0     27      6   
Alfalfa     
 1st cutting      0      0      2      0
__________________________________________
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.

             AVERAGE SOIL TEMPERATURES
         WEEK ENDING MAY 16  (4-Inch Depth) 

LOCATION       TEMP           LOCATION    TEMP

Beresford     54.7          Gettysburg    54.2
Brookings     53.8          Nisland       48.2
Caputa        52.4          Pierre        54.7
Chamberlain   57.6          Redfield      54.9
Cottonwood    51.1          Watertown     55.1

                                                              
                                 

                TEMPERATURE  |    -----  PRECIPITATION -----   | GDD BASE 
                -----------  |       SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE| ------------
               CURRENT WEEK  | CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1|SINCE APRIL 6
   STATION    AVG DFN  HI  LO| WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN| TOTAL   DFN
   -------     --  --  --  --|-----  -----  -----  -----  -----| -----  ----
NW Buffalo     44 -10  65  31| 1.81   6.19   4.97  +2.42  +2.38|    41   -62
   
NC Aberdeen    55  -2  69  38| 1.20   6.55   4.76  +1.28  +1.67|   145    -5
   Leola       53  -3  68  38| 3.16   9.54   7.52  +3.86  +3.99|   108   -27
   Mobridge    51  -6  67  36| 2.29   8.07   7.57  +2.80  +4.20|    99   -38
   Roscoe      51  -6  67  37| 1.83   9.48   7.56  +4.00  +4.00|    68   -66
   
NE Britton     54  -3  69  39| 0.73   7.51   4.87  +2.73  +1.80|   148   -10
   Sisseton    55  -3  72  40| 0.52   6.88   4.13  +0.75  +0.43|   135   -32
   Webster     55  -2  69  39| 0.70   7.05   4.42  +1.57  +1.23|   132   -12
   Watertown   55  -2  72  34| 1.31   5.35   3.80  -0.82  +0.16|   148   +11
  
WC Faith       48  -8  67  33| 1.66   5.31   4.41  +0.10  +1.01|    77   -62
   Lead        43  -7  59  29| 1.06  10.40   6.10  -0.98  -0.05|    11   -41
   Philip      51  -7  69  30| 1.67   5.75   4.69  +1.04  +1.62|   112   -53
   Rapid City  48  -7  67  31| 1.07   4.68   3.58  -0.43  +0.41|    67   -41
   
C  Chamberlain 54  -5  72  39| 3.17  12.99  11.22  +7.76  +7.76|   103   -92
   Highmore    52  -6  67  35| 2.20   7.83   6.83  +2.06  +3.13|    99   -57
   Huron       58  +2  73  37| 0.90   6.90   6.07  +0.69  +2.61|   189   +33
   Pierre      55  -3  71  38| 1.39   8.89   7.79  +3.41  +4.35|   170    +3
 
EC Brookings   54  -1  71  30| 0.64   8.41   6.39  +3.04  +3.00|   120    +3
   Madison     56  -1  72  34| 0.67   7.77   7.01  +0.87  +3.22|   130   -13
   Mitchell    57  -3  73  39| 0.40  11.02   8.65  +4.45  +4.71|   156   -36
   Sioux Falls 59  +2  73  35| 0.64   8.47   6.67  +1.68  +2.67|   165    +0
  
SW Custer      43  -7  58  25| 1.09   4.80   4.00  -0.45  +0.63|     5   -37
   Hot Springs 50  -6  67  28| 1.93   7.92   6.34  +3.43  +3.34|    62   -94
   Porcupine   50  -6  75  27| 1.74   7.81   6.06  +3.31  +3.04|    91   -38
  
SC Bonesteel   55  -2  75  39| 1.29   9.94   6.12  +2.39  +1.33|   117   -34
   Mission     52  -4  76  34| 2.21  10.07   8.60  +4.46  +5.01|    91   -30
   Murdo       52  -5  69  37| 2.23  10.49   7.40  +4.69  +3.86|    99   -44
   Winner      56  -5  77  37| 0.29   8.19   6.63  +0.77  +2.04|   141   -85
  
SE Armour      59  +0  75  39| 0.38   8.54   6.68  +1.81  +2.83|   200   -17
   Vermillion  62  +2  77  36| 0.06   7.31   6.29  +0.57  +2.18|   220   -39
   Yankton     58  -1  77  41| 1.02   9.30   7.82  +3.01  +4.04|   172   -25
 
Source:  National Weather Service, provided by AWIS, Inc.
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
Subsoil image in 'TIF' format for publishers
 

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