Crop Progress and Pasture Conditions

South Dakota

SIOUX FALLS – For the week ending April 15, 2018, there were 0.6 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 4 percent very short, 14 short, 76 adequate, and 6 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 10 percent very short, 27 short, 61 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 2 percent very poor, 18 poor, 53 fair, 27 good, and 0 excellent.

Spring wheat planted was 1 percent, well behind 48 last year and 34 for the five-year average.

Oats planted was 1 percent, well behind 44 last year and 36 average.

North Dakota

FARGO, N.D. – For the week ending April 15, 2018, there were 0.1 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Reports indicated that, on average, producers intended to begin fieldwork on May 3. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 9 percent very short, 28 short, 60 adequate, and 3 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 16 percent very short, 32 short, 50 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Winter wheat condition rated 4 percent very poor, 11 poor, 58 fair, 24 good, and 3 excellent.

Livestock Report: Cattle and calf conditions rated 2 percent very poor, 4 poor, 27 fair, 60 good, and 7 excellent. Cattle and calf death loss rated 10 percent heavy, 74 average, and 16 light. Calving progress was 57 percent complete, near 61 last year and 60 for the five-year average.

Sheep and lamb conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 3 poor, 24 fair, 64 good, and 8 excellent. Sheep and lamb death loss rated 5 percent heavy, 72 average, and 23 light. Lambing progress was 77 percent complete, near 74 last year, and ahead of 71 average.

Hay and roughage supplies rated 12 percent very short, 34 short, 51 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Stock water supplies rated 4 percent very short, 21 short, 72 adequate, and 3 surplus.

Minnesota

Lingering cooler than normal temperatures and additional snowfall across much of the state resulted in another week with 0.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 15, 2018, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Snow cover remains widespread with most areas reporting frost still in the ground and soil temperatures below normal for this time of the year.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 55 percent adequate, and 44 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 3 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 23 percent surplus.

Snow cover and cool temperatures have delayed planting of spring crops. Oats planted were reported as 0 percent complete, 16 percentage points behind last year, and 17 points behind the 5 year average. Potatoes planted were reported as 0 percent complete, 14 percentage points behind last year, and 7 points behind the 5 year average. Spring wheat planted was reported as 0 percent complete, 8 percentage points behind last year, and 13 points behind the 5 year average. Sugarbeets planted were reported as 0 percent complete, 16 percentage points behind last year, and 18 points behind the 5 year average.

Pastures remain dormant as spring calving continues, while some producers continue to struggle with dwindling hay supplies. Some producers are concerned about livestock due to yards in poor condition and temperature variations.

Iowa

As cold, wet weather persisted yet another week, statewide Iowa farmers had only 1.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 15, 2018, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. When conditions allowed, farmers in the southern two-thirds of the State were busy applying fertilizer and seeding oats with isolated reports of tillage.

Topsoil moisture levels rated 1 percent very short, 7 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 74 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus. Recent heavy snow and rain have left northern Iowa with surplus soil moisture.

Twelve percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 9 days behind last year and 10 days behind the 5-year average. While one-quarter of the oats have been planted in east central and southwest Iowa, northwest and north central Iowa have yet to get planting underway.

Livestock producers continue to experience challenges with snowfall and below normal temperatures stalling spring pasture growth and making tending to calves difficult throughout much of the State.

Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. – For the week ending April 15, 2018, there were 4.0 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Topsoil moisture supplies rated 2 percent very short, 16 short, 78 adequate, and 4 surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 22 short, 73 adequate, and 2 surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn planted was 1 percent, near 3 last year and 2 for the five-year average.

Winter wheat condition rated 1 percent very poor, 6 poor, 38 fair, 43 good, and 12 excellent.

Oats planted was 35 percent, well behind 65 last year and 61 average. Emerged was 4 percent, behind 23 last year and 17 average.