In reading the latest round of USDA NASS Crop Progress Reports, released on Tuesday due to the holiday, something was reported that hadn’t been yet this year – signs of summer across the region!! The warm, dry temperatures also helped tremendously for crop progress. Especially in North Dakota and Montana, the same weather conditions that have slowed down progress have made for subsoil moisture that is dramatically better than it has been the past five years.
Montana: Warmer and drier weather continued to help field work and crop development across most of the State, although the small grain development remains well behind the 5-year average. Many producers have begun spraying as disease in winter wheat is beginning to affect this year’s crop. Stripe rust and tan spot have also been detected in several counties. Sixty-eight percent of winter wheat has headed. That’s down only slightly from last year’s 74{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} but substantially lower than the five-year average of 90{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. Winter wheat condition is rated 73{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} good-to-excellent. That’s a big jump up from last week’s 60{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. Twenty-three percent of the first cutting of alfalfa was complete as of this past Sunday. Subsoil moisture adequate and surplus is 99 percent, down from 100 percent last week, but above last year’s 91 percent and the five-year average of 60 percent. See full report…
North Dakota: Warm, dry weather for most of the week promoted crop development across the state, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Dakota Field Office. Though some fields remained wet, most producers made substantial progress thanks to the above average temperatures and abundant sunshine. Durum planting is still underway. At 78{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} planted as of this past Sunday, 18{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} of the crop was planted in the last week. Similarly, another 5{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} of the spring wheat was planted in the past week bringing that total to 95{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. Durum wheat is rated 66{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} good-to-excellent, 76{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} of spring wheat has that rating. The first cutting of alfalfa was 27 percent complete, compared to 55 percent last year and 59 percent for the five-year average. Subsoil moisture in the state is rated at 99{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} adequate to surplus compared to the five-year average of 76{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. See full report…
South Dakota: Progress was made last week with 4.5 days suitable for fieldwork in the past seven days, many crops are inching closer to the previous years and 5-year averages. Farmers are spraying for weed control as the emergence of crops increases. Four percent of the winter wheat has headed compared to the five-year average of 45{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. Three percent of spring wheat is in the boot stage. Seven percent of the first cutting of alfalfa is complete. Although behind, the winter wheat crop is rated at 77{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} good-to-excellent. Seventy-four percent of the spring wheat crop has that rating. At 97{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} adequate-to-surplus, the subsoil moisture pretty much on par with what the state experienced at this time last year. See full report…
Wyoming: Summer temperatures can now be found across much of the state and Platte County said it best that hot temperatures have changed the crop progress picture. Weston County reported an infestation of Cheatgrass. Campbell County reported the first signs of grasshoppers with sightings of small insects this past week. Afternoon thunderstorms have caused a few delays for hay producers in Converse and Platte County; while hay producers in Uinta County are running 3 to 4 weeks behind schedule. The growing conditions in Uinta County have also continued to delay grazing, as ranchers are still waiting in that area to be able to turnout on forest grazing permits. Twenty-one percent of the winter wheat has turned color, down from the five-year average of 51{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. Forty percent of alfalfa has been harvested. Subsoil moisture in the state, at 81{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} adequate-to-surplus. While down 8{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3} from this time last year, this is up from the five-year average of 57{e7e4ba4d9a3c939171d79cae1e3a0df1d41e5a91c3c4158fbb92284b490bc9d3}. See full report…
© Northern Ag Network 2011
Haylie Shipp
