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Weather allows producers to get into fieldsSouth Dakota Hot, dry weather over most of the state allowed producers 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending July 8, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, South Dakota Field Office, July 9. Major farm activities included harvesting hay, post-emergence spraying and cultivating. Another very warm week across the state was punctuated with temperatures at or above 100 F across much of the state July 7, according to the State Climate Office of South Dakota. Several stations in the western part of the state reached 110 F with humidities below 10 percent. Average temperatures for the whole state were above average for the week, reaching as much as 10 to 11 F above average at Rapid City and Buffalo. These conditions stressed much of the rangeland and row crop land, especially those areas that have been short of rainfall. Most of the state has received below-average precipitation for the last 30 days. Precipitation over the last week again missed most of the driest areas. Much of the eastern third of the state is below 50 percent of average precipitation over the last 30 days, with a few places below 25 percent of average during that time. Precipitation has also been very short in the southern Black Hills and southwest. Harding County and parts of the northwest continue to lag far behind average precipitation. The western third of the state is below half of average precipitation for the last 30 days, also. Hot, dry, and windy conditions caused noteworthy changes in soil moisture conditions this week. The topsoil moisture rating dropped again this week, down 20 percentage points, to 63 percent adequate to surplus, above the five-year average of 56 percent. Also, subsoil moisture rating fell 9 percentage points, to 75 percent adequate to surplus, above the five-year average of 54 percent adequate to surplus. Average corn height is rated at 53 inches, well ahead of the five-year average of 39 inches. Also, corn tasseled is 15 percent, which is ahead of last year's 7 percent. soybeans are 31 percent blooming, behind last year's 37 percent but ahead of the normal of 24 percent. Winter wheat ripe advanced quickly this week, now rated at 52 percent ripe, ahead of the five-year average of 35 percent. The spring small grains are also turning color quickly: barley, at 35 percent; oats, at 55 percent; and spring wheat, at 37 percent turned. The first cutting of alfalfa is nearly complete at 96 percent harvested, while the second cutting is now at 26 percent harvested. Other hay advanced to 63 percent harvested. Alfalfa condition slipped 7 percentage points, to 71 percent good or excellent, but still remains in better condition than the five-year average of 44 percent. B 7 7/16/07 4 Star NE Date: 7/11/07
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