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Significant gains made in spring field workSouth Dakota Despite cooler-than-average temperatures and some severe weather in the state during the week ending May 25, significant gains in spring fieldwork were able to take place in South Dakota, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, South Dakota Field Office, May 28. There were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork in the past week. Farm activities focused on spring fieldwork, moving cattle to pasture, application of fertilizer and chemicals and general care of livestock. South Dakota witnessed severe weather last week that also brought heavy rain in several parts of the state, according to the State Climate Office of South Dakota. Rapid City recorded more than 4 inches of rain and several locations in the southwest and northwest accumulated more than 2 inches. While many parts of the state accumulated 1 inch of precipitation or more, the southeast part of the state accumulated less than 0.25 inch of precipitation with Webster accumulating just 0.03 inch. Severe weather spawned multiple tornado touchdowns in Dewey County and one in Ziebach County. Reports of penny- and quarter-sized hail were also received from several counties. Many west river locations with below-average accumulation since April saw improvement from the precipitation last week. The southeast corner of the state continued to be more than 1.5 inch below average precipitation since April. Temperatures continued to be up to 5 F below average. Overnight low temperatures in Redfield, Watertown and Aberdeen were below freezing on Wednesday with Redfield reaching 30 F close to 6 am. Growing degrees days continued to accumulate less than average as well. Most parts of the state were 20 to 40 GDD below average despite the warm weather in the early part of the week that saw Porcupine miss the 90F mark by a degree. Soil temperatures showed a consistent and expected increase from last week. Pierre and Oacoma both recorded average soil temperatures over 60 F for the week and all locations in the state were in the 50s. Pierre recorded the warmest temperature at 61 F. Caputa and South Shore recorded the coolest, at 54 F averaged over the week. Spring fieldwork made progress in South Dakota over the past week, but still remains well behind last year and the five-year average. The estimate for percentage of corn planted made another significant jump over the past week, up 30 percentage points, now estimated at 85 percent complete. Soybeans planted advanced 24 percentage points from last week, now at 42 percent complete. Range and pasture conditions improved slightly over the past week, currently rated at 60 percent good to excellent. Feed supplies and stock water supplies continue to improve with feed supplies rated at 87 percent adequate to surplus and stock water supplies at 80 percent adequate to surplus. Cattle condition remains stable at 88 percent good to excellent and 72 percent of cattle have been moved to pasture. Sheep condition is rated at 90 percent good to excellent. 6/2/08 Date: 5/28/08
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