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Released: August 9, 1999 -- 3:00 p.m. For Week Ending August 8, 1999 Volume 48 Issue 22

GENERAL
GENERAL: Row crops continued to progress ahead of the five-year average, according to the USDA's South Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. Cooler weather conditions and scattered showers gave much needed relief to cattle and crops. Major activities by South Dakota farmers and ranchers during the week were haying and harvesting of small grains. Statewide, there were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork.

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

SOIL MOISTURE
Lack of rain is beginning to cause soil moisture concerns around the state. Topsoil and subsoil conditions remain mostly adequate, with an area of short topsoil moisture in the northwestern part of the state. 



     
    
 SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION COMPARISON - AUGUST 6 

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

                       Percent
Very 
 Short      1     1    2     0     1     1
Short      29    17    8    13     6     9
Adeq.      64    72   80    77    76    76
Surplus     6    10   10    10    17    14


CROPS
Showers delayed harvesting in some areas. Winter wheat harvest is nearing completion, with 97 percent harvested. Small grain harvest also continued at a strong pace, with 63 percent of the spring wheat harvested, up 43 points from last week and 25 points from the five-year average. Sixty-nine percent of oats and 61 percent of barley had been harvested by week's end. Row crops continue to develop but most areas still need an inch of rain. Nineteen percent of soybeans are showing signs of stress from last week's heat and were 91 percent blooming and 55 percent setting pods. Ninety-six percent of the corn is tasseling, with 86 percent silked, both slightly ahead of the five-year average. Grasshoppers around the state have increased in both size and number. Weeds continue to be a problem, particularly Canadian thistle in Brown County. 




 

    CROP AND LIVESTOCK CONDITIONS - AUGUST 8

ITEM       V POOR   POOR   FAIR   GOOD   EXCEL

                          Percent
Winter Rye     0       1     19      52     28
Alfalfa        0       1     18      60     21
Barley         0       1     12      66     21
Oats           0       0     13      67     20
Spring Wheat   0       4     15      52     29
Sorghum        0       1     12      69     18
Soybeans       0       2     17      49     32
Corn           0       2     12      53     33
Sunflower      0       2     22      55     21
Flaxseed       0       1     15      71     13
Cattle         0       0      7      69     24
Sheep          0       0      5      66     29
Range & 
   Pasture     0       2     15      62     21


LIVESTOCK AND FORAGE
Range and pastures are in good condition, with scattered rains alleviating some areas of moisture stress. Cattle and sheep are recovering from last week's heat and remain in mostly good to excellent condition. There were reports of flies, pinkeye, and foot rot. Seventy-five percent of the second cutting of alfalfa has been harvested, with 15 percent cut a third time. Alfalfa conditions were 60 percent good and 21 percent excellent.

WEATHER
Cooler temperatures spread across the state but many areas remain dry. Winner and Hot Springs reported the highest temperatures in the state at 93 degrees, with the lowest temperature of 47 degrees in Watertown. Scattered rain was received across the state, with Custer receiving the most precipitation at 1.97 inches. 


             


          CROP PROGRESS - AUGUST 8  1/
                                                                              
                This   Last   Last   5-Yr.
ITEM            Week   Week   Year    Ave
  
  
                         Percent
Barley  
 turning color   99     95    100     97
 ripe            89     63     93     80
 harvested       61     19     66     48
Spring wheat
 turning color   98     95    100     95
 ripe            90     70     94     76
 harvested       63     20     52     38
Oats       
 turning color   99     98    100     97
 ripe            91     73     95     83
 harvested       69     48     70     58  
Corn    
 tasseling       96     80     97     91
 silked          86     59     87     77
 dough           27     15     37     18
 dented           1      0      7      2
Flaxseed
 blooming        98     94     91     93
 ripe            47     18     90     32
Sorghum    
 headed          33     24     40     42
 coloring        22     20      7      5  
Soybeans
 blooming        91     82     92     86
 setting pods    55     35     68     56
 dropping leaves  0      0      0      1
Sunflower  
 blooming        50     22     66     57
 ray flowers dry  9      0     27      8
 bracts yellow    5      0     26      6  
Winter wheat
 harvested       97     86     96     87
Winter rye  
 ripe            99     97    100    100
 harvested       86     49     92     75
Alfalfa     
 2nd cutting     75     61     78     71
 3rd cutting     15     13     17     NA
Other hay  
 cut             80     78     82     78  
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 APRIL 6
STATION     AVG DFN  HI  LO| WEEK  TOTAL  TOTAL    DFN    DFN| TOTAL   DFN
-------      --  --  --  --|-----  -----  -----  -----  -----| -----  ----
Buffalo      70  -3  89  50| 0.14  12.84  11.62  +2.77  +2.73|  1269  -222
Aberdeen     68  -6  88  51| 0.40  15.04  13.25  +2.04  +2.43|  1708   +20
Leola        69  -4  88  49| 0.02  18.71  16.69  +5.09  +5.22|  1619   -15
Mobridge     71  -4  92  52| 0.02  13.42  12.92  +1.26  +2.66|  1611   -99
Roscoe       69  -5  89  52| 0.24  17.27  15.35  +3.72  +3.72|  1493  -154
Britton      69  -6  87  49| 0.42  19.38  16.74  +6.41  +5.48|  1691   -27
Sisseton     70  -5  89  50| 0.25  15.42  12.67  +1.27  +0.95|  1714   -50
Watertown    67  -6  86  47| 0.07  12.14  10.59  -2.90  -1.92|  1657   -14
Webster      70  -4  85  54| 0.17  18.24  15.61  +3.93  +3.59|  1645   -14
Faith        69  -6  89  51| 0.11  13.14  12.24  +0.66  +1.57|  1518  -202
Lead         66  -4  88  48| 1.43  23.32  19.02  +2.77  +3.70|  1074   -78
Philip       71  -6  88  51| 0.03  16.42  15.36  +4.49  +5.07|  1686  -204
Rapid City   69  -5  85  51| 0.27  16.57  15.47  +4.48  +5.32|  1435  -108
Chamberlain  70  -7  90  53| 0.05  19.27  17.50  +6.55  +6.55|  1719  -288
Highmore     70  -6  87  51| 1.17  15.59  14.59  +1.57  +2.64|  1729   -78
Huron        70  -5  89  51| 0.04  11.33  10.50  -2.96  -1.04|  1920  +115
Pierre       75  -3  92  55| 0.60  14.93  13.83  +1.31  +2.25|  2057  +147
Brookings    66  -5  84  48| 0.13  14.95  12.93  -0.41  -0.45|  1631  +106
Madison      69  -4  83  51| 0.00  15.13  14.37  -0.78  +1.57|  1700   +40
Mitchell     70  -6  87  53| 1.04  22.94  20.57  +7.96  +8.22|  1884   -69
Sioux Falls  68  -7  84  51| 0.01  20.20  18.40  +5.11  +6.10|  1831    +3
Custer       62  -5  75  49| 1.97  17.25  16.45  +3.29  +4.37|   894  -119
Hot Springs  69  -6  93  50| 0.29  18.15  16.57  +6.36  +6.27|  1441  -274
Porcupine    69  -7  85  49| 1.05  18.95  17.20  +6.96  +6.69|  1468  -275
Bonesteel    69  -6  87  54| 0.19  17.56  13.74  -0.11  -1.17|  1733   -66
Mission      69  -5  87  49| 1.60  18.63  17.16  +4.58  +5.13|  1626   -42
Murdo        71  -4  86  53| 0.13  15.81  12.72  +2.43  +1.60|  1741   -61
Winner       73  -5  93  53| 0.05  14.28  12.72  -2.77  -1.50|  1882  -222
Armour       71  -6  85  54| 0.00  20.40  18.54  +4.42  +5.44|  1973   -47
Vermillion   69  -7  81  53| 1.00  26.12  25.10  +9.50 +11.11|  2063   -58
Yankton      69  -6  85  56| 0.06  23.68  22.20  +7.61  +8.64|  1919   -26
 
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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