Farmers make good seeding progress until halted by rain

By Farm & Ranch Guide staff
Friday, May 11, 2007 5:51 PM CDT

Heavy rains in southeastern North Dakota left this tractor standing in water in a field east of Litchville, N.D.

Excellent planting progress was made by North Dakota farmers during the previous week, and although rain over the weekend brought field work to a standstill, the moisture was welcomed by farmers.

Officials at the North Dakota Field Office of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service said the rains would be beneficial for germinating already seeded crops and bringing pastures to life. There was a downside to the rain, however, in the southeastern area of the state, where isolated incidents of rainfall totaling seven inches or more created overland flooding and water standing in fields.

The favorable planting weather permitted North Dakota small grain producers to surpass the five-year average in regards to planting progress, however, the emergence was still behind the average pace. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, small grain seeding was ahead of the five-year pace, except for oats, and the planting pace for the remainder of the crops was close to the five-year average.

In North Dakota, 60 percent of the spring wheat was planted compared to the average 53 percent, with 15 percent of the crop emerged. Durum planting was 34 percent completed and six percent emerged, barley was 57 percent planted and 12 percent emerged and farmers had seeded 51 percent of the oat crop, compared to a 49 percent average.

The Minnesota spring wheat was 77 percent planted, versus an average 62 percent, with 12 percent emerged. Planting for barley and oats were 60 and 76 completed, respectively, compared to the average 57 and 78 percent.

Canola planting in North Dakota was 49 percent completed, but only 15 percent in Minnesota. Sugarbeet plantings were 90 percent completed west of the Red River, compared to the average at this time of 73 percent, while the Minnesota sugarbeet crop was 77 percent planted, which is close to average.

Corn plantings in Minnesota was close to the average pace with 70 percent in the ground but North Dakota's rate was less than average at 38 percent planted. Soybeans were 14 percent planted in the Minnesota, and only three percent in North Dakota. Fifty-seven percent of the potato crop was planted in Minnesota, compared to 58 percent average, while North Dakota potato growers had 30 percent of their crop planted compared to the five-year average of 25 percent.

Planting progress for other crops in North Dakota included dry edible peas, 67 percent planted compared to 26 percent last year; flaxseed 20 percent planted, which is right on average; sunflower two percent planted and dry edible beans one percent planted.

Thanks to the rains, moisture supplies improved in both states, with North Dakota reporting topsoil moisture very short in only one percent of the state, short in eight percent, adequate in 77 and surplus in 14, compared to the five-year average of five-very short, 17 short, 69 adequate and nine percent surplus.

Minnesota topsoil moisture was rated two percent very short, 18 short, 73 adequate and seven percent surplus.

Pasture and range conditions in North Dakota were said to be four percent very poor, 15 poor, 39 fair, 37 good and five percent excellent, and rated 95 percent growing, compared with 79 percent the previous week. Calving in the state was 93 percent complete, equal to last year and slightly behind average, while lambing was 94 percent complete. Minnesota pasture conditions were rated one percent very poor, 10 poor, 28 fair, 51 good and 10 percent excellent.

The temperature range for the week ending May 6 in northwest and north central Minnesota ranged from a high of 77° at Canby and Moorhead to a low of 34° in Crookston. Crookston also reported the most rainfall at the reporting stations at 2.08 inches.

The high temperature reported at the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network (NDAWN) stations was 81° at Williston with the low of 25° registered at Bottineau. The highest precipitation amount was 6.30 inches in the rain gauge at Oakes. All reporting stations reported amounts at least close to an inch, if not more, with the exception of Minot, where only 0.08 inches of precipitation was recorded.

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