April 30: Crop progress and pasture conditions

South Dakota

For the week ending April 30, 2023, there were 3.9 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 6% very short, 26% short, 60% adequate, and 8% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 7% very short, 33% short, 53% adequate, and 7% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn planted was 1%, near 3% last year, and behind 10% for the five-year average.

Winter wheat condition rated 5% very poor, 9% poor, 64% fair, 21% good, and 1% excellent.

Spring wheat planted was 17%, well behind 46% last year and 40% average.

Oats planted was 28%, behind 46% last year and 39% average. Emerged was 2%, behind 19% last year and 14% average.

North Dakota

For the week ending April 30, 2023, there were 2.2 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Reports indicated that, on average, producers intend to begin fieldwork on May 5th.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3% very short, 11% short, 74% adequate, and 12% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 6% very short, 19% short, 66% adequate, and 9% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Spring wheat planted was 6%, near 5% last year, but behind 13% for the five-year average.

Durum wheat planted was 2%, near 1% last year, but behind 7% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 1% very poor, 6% poor, 55% fair, 37% good, and 1% excellent. Winter wheat jointed was 6%, behind 19% last year and 11% average.

Canola planted was 1%, equal to last year, and near 3% average.

Oats planted was 1%, equal to last year, and behind 6% average.

Barley planted was 1%, equal to last year, and behind 9% average.

Dry edible peas planted was 2%, near 1% last year, but behind 7% average.

Pasture and Range Report: Cattle and calf conditions rated 2% very poor, 6% poor, 38% fair, 51% good, and 3% excellent. Cattle and calf death loss rated 9% heavy, 77% average, and 14% light. Calving progress was 72% complete, near 71% last year and 73% average.

Sheep and lamb conditions rated 1% very poor, 8% poor, 38% fair, 49% good, and 4% excellent. Sheep and lamb death loss rated 5% heavy, 64% average, and 31% light. Lambing progress was 87% complete, near 88% last year, and equal to average. Shearing progress was 92% complete, equal to last year.

Hay and roughage supplies rated 6% very short, 28% short, 65% adequate, and 1% surplus. Stock water supplies rated 0% very short, 8% short, 80% adequate, and 12% surplus.

Nebraska

For the week ending April 30, 2023, there were 6.0 days suitable for fieldwork, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 37% very short, 41% short, 22% adequate, and 0% surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 45% very short, 38% short, 17% adequate, and 0% surplus.

Field Crops Report: Corn planted was 30%, ahead of 25% last year, and near 29% for the fiveyear average. Emerged was 1%, equal to last year, and near 2% average.

Soybeans planted was 16%, near 17% last year and 13% average.

Winter wheat condition rated 18% very poor, 33% poor, 35% fair, 12% good, and 2% excellent.

Sorghum planted was 1%, near 2% average.

Oats planted was 84%, near 87% last year, but ahead of 77% average. Emerged was 43%, near 46% last year, and equal to average.

Iowa

Cool and relatively dry weather offered farmers 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 30, 2023, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

While planting progress continues at a decent pace, the colder than normal temperatures and dry weather have not done any favors for crop emergence. State level moisture supplies are still tightening up with the lack of precipitation. Corn, soybean, and oat planting continued this week.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 5 percent very short, 24 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 3 percentsurplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 8 percent very short, 31 percent short, 58 percent adequate and3 percent surplus.

Twenty-nine percent of Iowa’s expected corn crop has been planted, 11 days ahead of last year but 1 day behindthe 5-year average.

Sixteen percent of soybeans have been planted, 11 days ahead of last year and 1 day ahead ofthe average.

Eighty-five percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, 2 weeks ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of normal. Twenty-nine percent of the oat crop has emerged, 1 week ahead of last year and 1 day ahead of the average.

Some reports of cattle being let out to pasture were received again this week, although pasture regrowth is slowwith the current weather pattern. Overall, livestock conditions continue to be good.

Minnesota

Cold temperatures, wet fields, and flooding in some areas of Minnesota resulted in 1.6 days suitable forfieldwork for the week ending April 30, 2023, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Fieldwork included spring field preparation, spreading manure and fertilizer, and planting small grains and potatoes. There were some reports of cattle and calves lost due to weather.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 6 percent short, 65 percent adequate, and 26 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 13 percent short, 66 percent adequate, and 18 percent surplus.

Pasture conditions were rated 32 percent good to excellent.

Corn planting reached 5 percent complete and soybean planting was 1 percent complete. Statewide, planting progress for barley began at 1 percent. Oats planted was at 10 percent, with 3 percent emerged. Potatoes planted were at 2 percent.