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Released: June 1, 1999 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending May 30, 1999 Volume 48 Issue 12

GENERAL
Warm, spring temperatures finally allowed producers a good week to make planting progress, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. There are several reports of corn acres across the state being replanted due to the wet weather and crusted topsoil. State wide, there were 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork.

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

SOIL MOISTURE
Soil conditions across the western area of the state are still reported to be adequate, while the eastern half of the state is still dealing with the excess moisture situation. A week of warm, sunny weather improved conditions in some areas, but there are still pockets of surplus topsoil and subsoil conditions in the extreme northeast and south east counties. 



     
 SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - MAY 28 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      0     0    4     0     0     3
Short       2     0   12     0     0     8
Adeq.      74    60   69    63    59    69
Surplus    24    40   15    37    41    20


CROPS
Corn planting progressed to 80 percent completed this week, up 25 points from last week, and finally catching up to the five-year average. Soybeans are 52 percent planted and 12 percent emerged. Sorghum and sunflower planting are 15 and 20 percent complete, compared to the five-year averages of 32 and 29 percent, respectively. Seeding of small grains is nearly completed, as producers turned their attention to row crops. Small grain conditions and emergence were aided by the week of sunshine, as they continue to progress ahead of the five-year average. Producers continue to spray for weeds that are a problem in small grains, with many reports of cheat grass in the winter wheat fields. 



 
    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - MAY 30

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Wheat   0       1     13      57     29
Winter Rye     1       2     16      54     27
Alfalfa        0       1     11      58     30
Barley         0       1     12      63     24
Oats           0       0     15      64     21
Spring Wheat   1       1     15      59     24
Sorghum        0       0      2      96      2
Soybeans       0       2     21      61     16
Corn           1       1     20      54     24
Cattle         0       0      7      68     25
Sheep          0       0      6      64     30
Range & 
   Pasture     1       1      7      63     28


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Cattle and sheep remain in good to excellent condition. Calving and lambing are nearing completion at 95 and 96 percent, respectively. Eighty-seven percent of the cattle have been moved to summer pastures. Pasture conditions remain in good to excellent condition, benefitting from the precipitation and sunshine. Alfalfa hay conditions are 88 percent good to excellent, 11 percent fair, and 1 percent poor. The first cutting of alfalfa is underway with 7 percent completed. There are several reports of severe problems with alfalfa weevils and cutworms in the fields.

WEATHER
Temperatures averaged above normal for the majority of the state last week, with only a few sites reporting below normal temperatures. Pierre reported the highest temperature, at 88 degrees. The lowest temperature was 36 degrees in Brookings, Madison, Sioux Falls, and Vermillion. Although little rain fell across the state, Lead recorded the highest precipitation amount, with 1.74 inches. 


             

 

      CROP PROGRESS - MAY 30   1/
                                                                                 
                This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 seeded          97     87    100     95   
 emerged         88     65     98     80   
 boot             2      1     15      5
 headed           0      0      3      1   
Spring wheat
 seeded          99     94    100     96   
 emerged         95     80     99     85 
 boot             3      1     33     10
 headed           0      0     11      2
Oats       
 seeded          98     91    100     95  
 emerged         90     71     96     82  
 boot             3      1     32      9
 headed           0      0      6      1  
Corn    
 planted         80     55     95     80
 emerged         43     20     83     17
 ave.height(in.)  3      2      5      2
 1st cult.        2      0     14      3
Flaxseed
 seeded          69     53     97     57
 emerged         35     24     75     40
Sorghum    
 seeded          15      6     55     32  
Soybeans
 planted         52     22     76     55
 emerged         12      4     44      9 
Sunflower  
 seeded          20      7     55     29  
Winter wheat
 boot            80     66     82     44 
 headed           7      1     24     12 
Winter rye  
 boot            67     48     86     50
 headed           8      0     53     17 
Alfalfa     
 1st cutting      7      1     19      5
__________________________________________
1/ Percents represent all acreage in or beyond each stage.


              TEMPERATURE  |    -----  PRECIPITATION -----   | GDD BASE 
              -----------  |       SINCE  SINCE  SINCE  SINCE| ---------
             CURRENT WEEK  | CURR  JAN 1  APR 1  JAN 1  APR 1|SINCE APR 6
STATION     AVG DFN  HI  LO| WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN|TOT   DFN
-------      --  --  --  --|-----  -----  -----  -----  -----|---- ----
Buffalo      61  +4  84  40| 0.25   6.72   5.50  +1.69  +1.65|163  -45
Aberdeen     63  +3  86  40| 0.04   6.59   4.80  +0.14  +0.53|310  +21
Leola        64  +4  84  44| 0.04   9.62   7.60  +2.63  +2.76|274   +5
Mobridge     61  +1  83  40| 0.25   8.36   7.86  +1.87  +3.27|244  -31
Roscoe       62  +2  84  43| 0.26   9.81   7.89  +3.08  +3.08|216  -52
Britton      63  +3  86  38| 0.13   7.66   5.02  +1.53  +0.60|308   +4
Sisseton     65  +3  87  43| 0.15   7.24   4.49  -0.26  -0.58|308  -12
Webster      63  +3  83  44| 0.10   7.25   4.62  +0.40  +0.06|294  +11
Watertown    61  +0  84  38| 0.12   5.69   4.14  -1.94  -0.96|297  +20
Faith	     63  +3  84  46| 0.02   5.35   4.45  -1.27  -0.36|225  -45
Lead         58  +5  81  42| 1.74  12.47   8.17  -1.00  -0.07| 94  -22
Philip	     64  +2  87  40| 0.00   6.11   5.05  +0.05  +0.63|266  -49
Rapid City   62  +4  84  43| 0.06   7.45   6.35  +1.04  +1.88|198  -20
Chamberlain  63  -1  85  42| 0.00  13.13  11.36  +6.51  +6.51|270  -95
Highmore     63  +2  83  40| 0.00   7.83   6.83  +0.77  +1.84|252  -53
Huron        63  +2  85  40| 0.00   6.92   6.09  -0.68  +1.24|365  +62
Pierre       66  +5  88  42| 0.03   8.96   7.86  +2.08  +3.02|368  +48
Brookings    61  +2  83  36| 0.10   8.81   6.79  +1.96  +1.92|268  +26
Madison	     61  +0  83  36| 0.01   8.67   7.91  +0.34  +2.69|284   +1
Mitchell     64  +2  86  39| 0.00  12.79  10.42  +4.70  +4.96|339  -26
Sioux Falls  62  -1  83  36| 0.01  11.07   9.27  +2.84  +3.83|326   +5
Custer       55  +3  77  37| 0.01   6.01   5.21  -0.71  +0.37| 59  -37
Hot Springs  61  +1  86  41| 0.00   8.17   6.59  +2.32  +2.23|187  -98
Porcupine    62  +2  86  38| 0.08   7.82   6.07  +1.95  +1.68|224  -38
Bonesteel    63  +2  84  46| 0.02  10.33   6.51  +0.83  -0.23|278  -21
Mission      63  +3  84  41| 0.00  10.35   8.88  +3.20  +3.75|239   -8
Murdo        64  +3  85  46| 0.00  10.86   7.77  +3.73  +2.90|266  -20
Winner       65  +1  85  42| 0.00   8.26   6.70  -0.88  +0.39|318  -92
Armour       65  +2  85  44| 0.03  10.80   8.94  +2.52  +3.54|395   -3
Vermillion   66  +1  87  36| 0.00   9.12   8.10  +0.62  +2.23|434  -24
Yankton      63  -1  84  42| 0.00  10.73   9.25  +2.67  +3.70|356  -15
 
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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