By Scout Nelson
South Dakota farmers faced a week with limited suitable fieldwork opportunities (4.1 days) ending June 30th, 2024. However, soil moisture conditions remained favorable.
Topsoil moisture was mostly adequate (64%) with some surplus (30%), while subsoil moisture mirrored this trend with 66% adequate and 25% surplus.
Crop development showed positive signs. Corn health remained good, with 55% rated good and 18% excellent. Soybeans also fared well, with 58% in good condition and 15% rated excellent.
Soybean emergence reached near completion at 97%, exceeding the historical average. While blooming lagged behind the usual pace at 3%, other crops like winter wheat and spring wheat progressed steadily towards heading.
Winter wheat, with 96% headed, nearly matched historical averages. Spring wheat heading reached 66%, slightly below the average. Oat and sorghum conditions were promising, with the majority of these crops rated good (72% and 74%, respectively). Oats reached 75% headed, while sorghum heading lagged behind at 8%.
Sunflowers, a key South Dakota crop, saw planting nearing completion at 97% and emergence exceeding the historical average at 79%. Pastures and rangelands remained in good condition, with 49% rated good and another 23% rated excellent.
Despite limited fieldwork opportunities, South Dakota farmers were able to capitalize on favorable soil moisture and make significant progress across various crops.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-kotenko-a
Categories: South Dakota, Crops, Corn, Soybeans