Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS – For the week ending October 5, 2014, temperatures averaged above normal in the southeastern part of the State and below normal elsewhere, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rain showers were common in the west. Statewide, there were 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 15 short, 83 adequate, and 2 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 1 percent very short, 16 short, 81 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat planted was 79 percent, ahead of the five-year average of 74. Emerged was 35 percent, near 33 average.

Corn conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 18 fair, 59 good, and 16 excellent. Corn mature was 72 percent, behind 82 average. Harvested was 5 percent, behind 23 average.

Soybean conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 19 fair, 60 good, and 16 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 95 percent, near 97 average. Soybeans harvested was 25 percent, behind 45 average.

Sorghum conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 13 fair, 78 good, and 7 excellent. Sorghum coloring was 95 percent, behind 100 average. Mature was 49 percent, well behind 79 average. Harvested was 9 percent, behind 27 average.

Sunflower conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 2 poor, 35 fair, 57 good, and 6 excellent. Ray flowers dried was 96 percent, near 100 average. Bracts turning yellow was 84 percent, behind 94 average. Turning brown was 56 percent complete. Harvested was 3 percent, behind 8 average.

Alfalfa hay conditions rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 19 fair, 60 good, and 18 excellent. Third cutting was 90 percent complete, near average at 93. Fourth cutting was 42 percent complete.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 24 fair, 57 good, and 12 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 2 percent very short, 12 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.

Note: Due to a lapse in federal funding in October 2013, the Crop Progress reports for the weeks ending October 6, 2013 and October 13, 2013 were canceled. Therefore, previous year estimates for the corresponding weeks will not be available. Five-year average estimates will reflect the years 2009-2013 using published estimates for 2009-2012 and imputed estimates for 2013.

North Dakota

FARGO, ND October 6, 2014 – For the week ending October 5, 2014, much of the State received a hard freeze which ended the growing season for remaining crops, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average temperatures were two to eight degrees below normal across much of the state. Rain either slowed or halted harvest activities in many areas, especially in the west where an inch or more was received. Livestock activities included weaning calves. Statewide, there were 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 7 short, 84 adequate, and 9 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 5 short, 86 adequate, and 9 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat planting was 89 percent complete. Emerged was 37 percent.

Durum wheat harvest was 85 percent complete, behind 94 for the five-year average.

Spring wheat harvested was 95 percent, near 98 average.

Canola harvest was 95 percent complete, near 96 average.

Flaxseed harvested was 75 percent, behind 84 average.

Lentils harvest advanced to 79 percent complete, well behind 99 average.

Dry beans harvested was 62 percent, behind 71 average. Conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 7 poor, 31 fair, 51 good, and 8 excellent.

Potatoes at the vines dry stage was 97 percent, near 95 average. Harvest was 57 percent complete, behind 66 average. Conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 5 poor, 27 fair, 54 good, and 11 excellent.

Corn dented was 95 percent, near 96 average. Mature was 57 percent, behind 69 average. Harvest began with 1 percent completed, behind 14 average. Conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 20 fair, 53 good, and 19 excellent.

Soybeans dropping leaves was 95 percent, near 97 average. Harvest advanced to 31 percent complete, behind 45 average. Conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 20 fair, 60 good, and 15 excellent.

Sunflowers at the ray flowers dry stage was 98 percent, near 99 average. Bracts yellow were 89 percent, behind 94 average. Bracts brown were 55 percent, behind 71 average. Conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 3 poor, 20 fair, 62 good, and 13 excellent.

Sugarbeets harvested was 52 percent, ahead of 30 average. Conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 29 fair, 50 good, and 13 excellent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 poor, 16 fair, 60 good, and 19 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 2 short, 85 adequate, and 13 surplus.

Minnesota

With favorable weather conditions early in the week sugarbeets, dry beans, and corn silage made strong harvesting progress, for the week ending October 5, 2014, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Corn for grain and soybean harvest continues to be delayed due to high moisture levels. The northern half of the state experienced frosts that worried farmers about slow development of immature crops. The eastern third of the state received more precipitation, but statewide there were 4.4 days suitable for fieldwork.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 7 percent short, 88 percent adequate, and 5 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 8 percent short, 88 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.

With five percent of the corn crop now harvested, Minnesota farmers remain two weeks behind the five-year average. Moisture content of corn in the field was estimated at 28 percent. Sixty-three percent of the crop is mature, with 69 percent good to excellent condition. Seventy-three percent of the corn for silage has been harvested, two weeks behind normal. Ninety percent of the soybean crop was dropping leaves, 4 days behind average. Soybean harvest, at 23 percent complete, is one week behind average. Sixty-six percent of the crop is in good to excellent condition. Potato harvest continued to be ahead of average with 85 percent harvested. Dry edible bean harvest, at 74 percent is 4 days behind average, with 51 percent in good to excellent condition. Fifty percent of the sugarbeet crop has been harvested, which is the furthest along harvest has been by this date during the last 10 years. Sugarbeet conditions remained unchanged with 72 percent in good to excellent condition. Sunflower harvest is now underway.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 94 percent complete. Pasture conditions increased slightly to 69 percent good to excellent.

Iowa

Wet conditions have delayed widespread harvest across Iowa during the week ending October 5, 2014, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. There were 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included harvesting hay and the start of fall tillage. Farmers were hoping for drier field and crop conditions to enable substantial harvest to begin.

Topsoil moisture rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 16 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 12 percent surplus. Southwest Iowa was the wettest with almost half of its topsoil in surplus condition.

With almost all of Iowa’s corn acreage in or beyond the dent stage, corn mature reached 79 percent, 6 days behind the five-year average. Moisture content of all corn in the field, at 27 percent, continued to delay harvest. Only 5 percent of corn has been harvested so far, 3 weeks behind the normal pace. Seventy-six percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition. With almost all of the soybean acreage turning color, 85 percent of the crop was dropping leaves or beyond, just behind average. Soybean harvest was 9 percent complete, the lowest percentage harvested by this date in over 30 years. Seventy-four percent of the soybean crop was in good to excellent condition.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 95 percent complete, almost 2 weeks behind the five-year average. Pasture condition rated 67 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions have been normal. There were some reports of weaned calves being moved off pastures.

Nebraska

LINCOLN, NE, October 6, 2014 — For the week ending October 5, 2014, heavy rainfall of three or more inches fell across much of the Panhandle and portions of southeast Nebraska, limiting fall harvest activities, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures retreated during the week with frost reported in some areas. There were 3.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 19 short, 73 adequate, and 5 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 22 short, 67 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat planted was 89 percent, ahead of 81 for the five-year average. Winter wheat emerged was 64 percent, ahead of 46 average.

Corn conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 6 poor, 18 fair, 52 good, and 22 excellent. Corn mature was 77 percent, near 81 average. Corn harvested was 11 percent, behind 24 average.

Soybean conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 20 fair, 54 good, and 20 excellent. Soybeans dropping leaves was 91 percent, equal to the average. Soybeans harvested was 16 percent, well behind 41 average.

Sorghum conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 32 fair, 40 good, and 22 excellent. Sorghum mature was 69 percent, near 66 average. Sorghum harvested was 5 percent, behind 11 average.

Dry bean conditions rated 3 percent very poor, 1 poor, 15 fair, 62 good, and 19 excellent. Dry beans harvested was 77 percent, behind 82 average.

Alfalfa hay conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 28 fair, 53 good, and 12 excellent. Alfalfa hay fourth cutting was 83 percent complete, near 84 average.

Proso millet harvested was 82 percent, ahead of 73 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 7 poor, 32 fair, 47 good, and 9 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 1 percent very short, 5 short, 91 adequate, and 3 surplus.