Crop progress and pasture conditions

South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS – For the week ending May 24, 2015, rainfall continued to mitigate dry conditions; however, planting progress was minimal for portions of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average temperatures ranged from three to twelve degrees below normal. Reports of frost were noted across the north central and northeast as early morning temperatures fell below 32 degrees on May 19. There were 3.5 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 8 percent very short, 16 short, 68 adequate, and 8 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 10 percent very short, 26 short, 61 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 7 poor, 24 fair, 64 good, and 5 excellent. Corn planted rated 91 percent, near 88 last year, but ahead the five-year average of 85. Emerged was 61 percent, ahead of 43 last year and 45 average.

Soybeans planted rated 60 percent complete, near 59 last year, but ahead of 48 average. Emerged was 24 percent, ahead of 17 last year and 14 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 0 percent very poor, 9 poor, 41 fair, 45 good, and 5 excellent. Spring wheat planted rated 98 percent, ahead of 88 last year, but near 95 average. Emerged was 86 percent, well ahead of 57 last year, and ahead of 74 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 10 percent very poor, 27 poor, 39 fair, 24 good, and 0 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 65 percent, well ahead of 26 last year. Headed was 25 percent, well ahead of 0 last year, and ahead of 13 average.

Oats condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 30 fair, 58 good, and 9 excellent. Oats planted rated 99 percent, ahead of 89 last year and 93 average. Emerged was 91 percent, well ahead of 63 last year, and ahead of 74 average.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 0 poor, 18 fair, 82 good, and 0 excellent. Barley planted rated 99 percent, ahead of 88 last year and 85 average. Emerged was 89 percent, well ahead of 24 last year and 53 average.

Sorghum planted rated 29 percent, ahead of 19 last year and average.

Sunflowers planted rated 4 percent, behind 10 last year and average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions were rated 3 percent very poor, 15 poor, 38 fair, 39 good and 5 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 6 percent very short, 22 short, 69 adequate, and 3 surplus.

North Dakota

FARGO, N.D. – For the week ending May 24, 2015, little precipitation was received across much of the State, which allowed producers to continue planting their crops, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Frost damage from the previous week appeared to be limited to some canola and soybeans. Additionally, sugarbeet producers in the northern Red River Valley will need to replant a portion of their crops due either to frost or flooding. Livestock producers were busy moving their herds to summer pastures. There were some reports of calf and lamb losses due to the previous week’s cold, wet conditions. There were 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 0 percent very short, 4 short, 77 adequate, and 19 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, 29 fair, 52 good, and 5 excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 55 percent, well ahead of 31 last year.

Durum wheat planted was 88 percent, well ahead of 34 last year and the five-year average of 52. Emerged was 45 percent, well ahead of 9 last year and ahead of 28 average.

Spring wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 20 fair, 69 good, and 7 excellent. Spring wheat planted was 93 percent, well ahead of 54 last year and 68 average. Emerged was 71 percent, well ahead of 23 last year and 43 average. Jointed was 2 percent, ahead of 0 last year.

Barley condition rated 0 percent very poor, 3 poor, 15 fair, 75 good, and 7 excellent. Barley planted was 96 percent, well ahead of 51 last year and 63 average. Emerged was 73 percent, well ahead of 15 last year and 36 average. Jointed was 1 percent, ahead of 0 last year.

Oats condition rated 2 percent very poor, 3 poor, 17 fair, 67 good, and 11 excellent. Oats planted was 93 percent, well ahead of 61 last year and 68 average. Emerged was 61 percent, well ahead of 25 last year and 41 average.

Corn condition rated 0 percent very poor, 1 poor, 17 fair, 77 good, and 5 excellent. Corn planted was 83 percent, well ahead of 60 last year, and ahead of 73 average. Emerged was 40 percent, well ahead of 11 last year, and ahead of 33 average.

Soybeans planted was 54 percent, well ahead of 27 last year, and ahead of 42 average. Emerged was 17 percent, ahead of 0 last year and 9 average.

Canola planted was 85 percent, well ahead of 40 last year and 58 average. Emerged was 48 percent, well ahead of 10 last year, and ahead of 29 average.

Sunflowers planted was 29 percent, ahead of 11 last year and 20 average.

Flaxseed planted was 70 percent, well ahead of 19 last year and 38 average. Emerged was 12 percent, ahead of 0 last year.

Dry edible peas planted was 97 percent complete, well ahead of 57 last year and 70 average. Emerged was 71 percent, well ahead of 13 last year and 35 average.

Dry edible beans planted was 32 percent, well ahead of 11 last year, and ahead of 29 average.

Potatoes planted was 69 percent, well ahead of 17 last year, and ahead of 50 average. Emerged was 10 percent, ahead of 2 last year, and near 11 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 22 fair, 61 good, and 10 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 0 percent very short, 3 short, 83 adequate, and 14 surplus.

Minnesota

Precipitation accompanied with cool temperatures across Minnesota limited farmers to only 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 24, 2015, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Frost was reported across the northern two-thirds of the state. There were reports of drowned out portions of fields that may need to be replanted. When conditions allowed, field activities for the week included planting and spraying.

Soil moisture levels increased for the second straight week. Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 4 percent short, 83 percent adequate, and 13 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 10 percent short, 85 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.

Eighty-eight percent of the Minnesota corn crop had emerged, 2 weeks ahead of last year and the five-year average. The first corn condition rating was estimated at 0 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 29 percent fair, 62 percent good, and 7 percent excellent. Soybean planting increased 9 percentage points during the week for the second week in a row and was 88 percent complete. Forty-nine percent of the soybean acreage had emerged, 11 days ahead of the previous year and 10 days ahead of average. Barley was 39 percent at or beyond the jointing stage, over 4 weeks ahead of last year. Barley condition rated 58 percent good to excellent, up 2 percentage points from the previous week. Fifty-six percent of the oat acreage was at or beyond the jointing stage, the most in at least 40 years. Oat condition rated 78 percent good to excellent. With most of the spring wheat acreage emerged, 35 percent of the acreage was at or beyond the jointing stage, the highest in almost 40 years. Spring wheat condition rated 67 percent good to excellent. Dry edible beans were 59 percent planted and 26 percent emerged, over a week ahead of normal. Sixty-five percent of the sunflower acreage was planted, 18 days ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of average. Potato planting was nearing completion across the state.

All hay condition rated 67 percent good to percent excellent, up slightly from the previous week. There were scattered reports of the first cutting of alfalfa hay being harvested, mostly across the southern part of the state. Pasture condition rated 67 percent good to excellent, up 5 percentage points from last week. Producers were still concerned about the spread of Avian Influenza in both turkeys and chickens.

Iowa

Wet conditions continued, delaying planting and allowing only 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork statewide during the week ending May 24, 2015, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Cattle producers had concerns about muddy feedlots while crop farmers experienced spraying delays. Farmers are evaluating the need to replant corn in low-lying areas.

Topsoil moisture levels increased to 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 23 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 79 percent adequate and 13 percent surplus. Only southeast Iowa had any topsoil reported as being very short on moisture. Southwest Iowa had the highest subsoil moisture rating at 99 adequate to surplus.

Ninety-six percent of the corn crop has been planted, 1 day ahead of last year, and 3 days ahead of the 5-year average. Southwest Iowa remains well behind the other districts with just 81 percent planted, while northwest, north central and central Iowa are virtually complete. Corn emerged reached 81 percent, 6 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of normal. The first corn condition rating of the season was 0 percent very poor, 1 percent poor, 20 percent fair, 63 percent good, and 16 percent excellent. Soybean planting reached 70 percent complete, behind last year’s pace for the first time this year. Thirty-two percent of the soybean crop has emerged, slightly ahead of last year and normal. With emergence nearly complete, oat conditions improved slightly with 82 percent good to excellent.

The first cutting of alfalfa hay advanced to 11 percent completed. Hay conditions improved slightly to 81 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition also improved to 74 percent good to excellent. Muddy conditions in pastures and feedlots have stressed livestock in some areas.

Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – For the week ending May 24, 2015, cloudy, wet conditions hampered spring planting activities with an inch or more of rainfall common in the western half of the State, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures were again cool, and averaged six to eight degrees below normal. The wet conditions have been favorable for disease development in southeastern wheat fields, with some producers applying fungicide. Sunshine and warmer conditions were needed to dry soils and boost corn and soybean development. Alfalfa harvest has been slow due to the wet conditions. Pastures continued to improve. There were 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 5 percent very short, 9 short, 69 adequate, and 17 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6 percent very short, 17 short, 66 adequate, and 11 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 32 fair, 54 good, and 7 excellent. Planted was at 92 percent, near 96 for both last year and the five-year average. Emerged was at 73 percent, near 70 last year, but ahead of 67 average.

Sorghum planted was at 50 percent, near 53 last year and ahead of 41 average. Emerged was at 16 percent, ahead of 12 last year and 11 average.

Soybeans planted was at 59 percent, behind 85 last year and 73 average. Emerged was at 22 percent, behind 38 last year and 31 average.

Winter wheat condition rated 14 percent very poor, 18 poor, 32 fair, 34 good, and 2 excellent. Winter wheat jointed rated 95 percent complete, ahead of 79 last year and 83 average. Headed was at 40 percent, ahead of 26 last year and 29 average.

Oats condition rated 3 percent very poor, 8 poor, 27 fair, 59 good, and 3 excellent. Jointed was at 53 percent, well ahead of 25 last year. Headed was at 2 percent, near 5 last year, but behind 7 average.

Alfalfa condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 25 fair, 58 good, and 10 excellent. First cutting was at 11 percent, near 9 last year, but behind 20 average.

Dry edible beans planted was at 3 percent, near 4 last year, but behind 10 average.

Livestock, Pasture and Range Report: Pasture and range conditions rated 4 percent very poor, 8 poor, 29 fair, 53 good, and 6 excellent.

Stock water supplies rated 3 percent very short, 8 short, 83 adequate, and 6 surplus.