Crop progress and pasture conditions

South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS – For the week ending May 17, 2015, cool, wet conditions slowed fieldwork across much of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Crop development was also slowed by the below-normal temperatures. A second week of welcome rainfall continued to improve soil moisture ratings. Statewide, there were 2.1 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 9 percent very short, 20 short, 62 adequate, and 9 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 11 percent very short, 32 short, 54 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn planted rated 83 percent, ahead of 70 last year and the five-year average of 66. Emerged was 46 percent, well ahead of 13 last year and 21 average.

Soybeans planted rated 42 percent complete, ahead of 29 last year and 24 average. Emerged was 4 percent, near 2 last year and 3 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 8 poor, 50 fair, 41 good, and 1 excellent. Spring wheat planted rated 97 percent, ahead of 82 last year and 89 average. Emerged was 77 percent, well ahead of 40 last year and 59 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 10 percent very poor, 26 poor, 43 fair, 21 good, and 0 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 46 percent, well ahead of 10 last year. Headed was 1 percent, ahead of 0 last year, but near 6 average.

Oats condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 31 fair, 61 good, and 5 excellent. Oats planted rated 98 percent, well ahead of 80 last year and 87 average. Emerged was 84 percent, well ahead of 54 last year and 61 average.

Barley planted rated 97 percent, well ahead of 54 last year and 75 average. Emerged was 77 percent, well ahead of 14 last year and 42 average.

Sorghum planted rated 11 percent, ahead of 3 last year and 5 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions were rated 5 percent very poor, 19 poor, 43 fair, 28 good and 5 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 10 percent very short, 22 short, 66 adequate, and 2 surplus.

North Dakota

FARGO, N.D. – For the week ending May 17, 2015, fieldwork activity was halted as persistent, wet weather prevailed over much of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Most of the state experienced two to five inches of moisture. The south central part of the state received significant snowfall, which caused some deaths to newborn calves and lambs. Temperatures for the week were four to eight degrees below normal. Below freezing temperatures occurred Sunday night, however, it was too early to tell the impact on emerged crops. Days suitable for fieldwork were 2.5. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 75 adequate, and 21 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 6 short, 78 adequate, and 16 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 13 poor, 32 fair, 48 good, and 6 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 40 percent, well ahead of 17 last year.

Durum wheat planted was 71 percent, well ahead of 12 last year and the five-year average of 34. Emerged was 25 percent, well ahead of 1 last year and ahead of 16 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 3 poor, 23 fair, 67 good, and 5 excellent. Spring wheat planted was 90 percent, well ahead of 23 last year and 51 average. Emerged was 53 percent, well ahead of 5 last year and 28 average.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 4 poor, 28 fair, 61 good, and 7 excellent. Barley planted was 89 percent, well ahead of 20 last year and 44 average. Emerged was 51 percent, well ahead of 3 last year and 23 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 5 poor, 18 fair, 64 good, and 11 excellent. Oats planted was 85 percent was well ahead of 27 last year and 49 average. Emerged was 38 percent, well ahead of 5 last year and ahead of 24 average.

Corn planted was 70 percent, well ahead of 15 last year and 48 average. Emerged was 12 percent, ahead of 0 last year, and near 15 average.

Soybeans planted was 32 percent, well ahead of 4 last year and 21 average. Emerged was 3 percent, ahead of 0 last year, and near 2 average.

Canola planted was 70 percent, well ahead of 11 last year and 38 average. Emerged was 24 percent, well ahead of 1 last year and ahead of 14 average.

Sunflowers planted was 14 percent, ahead of 1 last year and 8 average.

Flaxseed planted was 46 percent, well ahead of 4 last year and 22 average.

Dry edible peas planted was 92 percent complete, well ahead of 21 last year and 50 average. Emerged was 44 percent, well ahead of 3 last year and 18 average.

Dry edible beans planted was 11 percent, ahead of 2 last year, and near 12 average.

Potatoes planted was 52 percent, well ahead of 5 last year and 36 average. Emerged was 4 percent.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 7 poor, 26 fair, 58 good, and 8 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 82 adequate, and 14 surplus.

Minnesota

Precipitation across Minnesota limited farmers to only 1.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 17, 2015, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Despite being the least amount of days suitable for fieldwork since the season began, progress remained ahead of the normal pace. Field activities for the week included planting and spraying when conditions allowed.

Recent precipitation increased soil moisture levels, but caused some erosion and ponding. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 14 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 2 percent very short, 15 percent short, 81 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus.

Seventy-two percent of the Minnesota corn crop had emerged, almost 2 weeks ahead of the five-year average. Soybean planting increased 9 percentage points during the week to 79 percent complete. Twenty-one percent of the soybean acreage had emerged, 12 days ahead of the previous year and 10 days ahead of average. Barley was 86 percent emerged, 4 weeks ahead of last year and almost 3 weeks ahead of average. The first barley condition rating of the year was estimated at 0 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 42 percent fair, 50 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Fourteen percent of the oat acreage was at or beyond the jointing stage, 18 days ahead of last year. Oat condition rated 79 percent good to excellent. Ninety percent of the spring wheat acreage was emerged, 4 weeks ahead of the previous year, and just over 3 weeks ahead of normal. Spring wheat condition rated 55 percent good to excellent, dropping 6 points from last week. Dry edible beans were 39 percent planted and 17 percent emerged. Fifty-two percent of the sunflower acreage has been planted, 20 days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of average.

All hay condition rated 66 percent good to percent excellent, up 3 percentage points from the previous year. Some farmers were worried about alfalfa fields being dry enough to harvest. Pasture condition rated 62 percent good to excellent, up 9 percentage points from the previous week. Producers were still concerned about the spread of Avian Influenza in both turkeys and chickens.

Iowa

Wet and windy conditions slowed planting for Iowa farmers during the week ending May 17, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were only 2.6 days suitable for fieldwork. Operators reported the wet weather led to standing water in some fields and the wind halted spraying activity.

Topsoil moisture increased slightly to 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 80 percent adequate and 16 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels also increased and now stand at 1 percent very short, 8 percent short, 83 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus. North central and southwest Iowa reported the highest topsoil levels with 100 and 99 percent rated adequate to surplus, respectively. Southwest Iowa reported the highest subsoil moisture level at 99 percent rated adequate to surplus.

Ninety-two percent of the corn crop has been planted, 6 days ahead last year, and 5 days ahead of the 5-year average. Southwest Iowa is still lagging behind with just 75 percent planted, compared to northwest Iowa, where 98 percent of the corn was in the ground. Corn reached 63 percent emerged, just over one week ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of normal. Soybean planting reached 51 percent complete, 3 days ahead of 2014, and 2 days ahead of the average. Only 17 percent of the expected soybean crop has been planted in southwest Iowa, with south central Iowa the next lowest at 40 percent complete. With nearly all the State’s oat crop planted, oats emerged reached 92 percent, 8 days ahead of last year, and 5 days ahead of normal. Oat condition ratings improved slightly with 81 percent rated good to excellent.

Limited progress has been made on the first cutting of alfalfa hay due to the cool, wet weather. Hay conditions now rate 80 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition also improved to 70 percent good to excellent. Livestock conditions were reported as mostly normal with a majority of cattle being turned onto pasture. Some cattle lots were described as messy or muddy. Meanwhile, poultry producers across the State continue to discuss the effects of avian influenza.

Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – For the week ending May 17, 2015, precipitation during the last half of the week limited fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Rainfall of one inch or more was common, except for portions of northeast and southwest Nebraska, which received lesser amounts. Lowland flooding was again reported in southeastern counties where fieldwork was at a standstill. Temperatures were cool, averaging two to four degrees below normal. There were 2.4 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 10 short, 67 adequate, and 17 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7 percent very short, 18 short, 65 adequate, and 10 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn planted was at 85 percent, near 89 last year and 87 for the five-year average. Emerged was at 54 percent, ahead of 39 last year and 40 average.

Sorghum planted was at 38 percent, ahead of 24 last year and 22 average. Emerged was at 2 percent, near 5 last year and 4 average.

Soybeans planted was at 41 percent, behind 61 last year and 51 average. Emerged was at 6 percent, behind 11 last year and 12 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 13 percent very poor, 18 poor, 32 fair, 34 good, and 3 excellent. Winter wheat jointed rated 93 percent complete, well ahead of 69 last year and 71 average. Headed was at 24 percent, ahead of 9 last year and 17 average.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 9 poor, 27 fair, 59 good, and 3 excellent. Oats emerged was at 95 percent, ahead of 88 last year and 86 average. Jointed was at 39 percent, ahead of 13 last year.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 5 percent very poor, 8 poor, 31 fair, 50 good, and 6 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 3 percent very short, 9 short, 85 adequate, and 3 surplus.