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Ag stats: Wyoming crop progress and condition report – week ending September 25, 2022

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Precipitation levels varied across the State for the week ending September 25, 2022, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Areas of the northwest and southeast received above average amounts of moisture, while the remainder of Wyoming saw totals at or below normal. Portions of the northwest received up to 0.8 inches of rain, while areas in the southeast saw totals reaching no more than about 0.5 inches. The remainder of the State saw totals in a range from trace to 0.3 inches at the most.

Temperatures ran above normal for all of Wyoming, with isolated portions of the south seeing temperatures as much as 5 degrees above average.

According to the US Drought Monitor for September 22, 2022, the amount of land rated drought free increased to 14.5 percent, up from 13.3 percent the previous week. The amount of land rated abnormally dry fell slightly to 32.3 percent, down from 32.6 percent the previous week. Moderate drought was found in 32.0 percent of the State, compared to 32.9 percent last week. Severe drought conditions also fell, now sitting at 17.5 percent, a decrease of 2.1 percentage points. Extreme drought conditions, however, were found in 3.7 percent of Wyoming, an increase from 1.6 percent the previous week.

Moisture arrived too late in Big Horn County for pastures to see good fall growth.

In Goshen County, rain showers were variable and slowed dry edible bean and alfalfa hay harvest. Cooler temperatures were in the forecast which was also expected to slow progress. Continuing drought kept winter wheat growers from planting due to the low soil moisture levels. Many livestock producers had already finished grazing their livestock on winter pastures and had begun feeding hay. Corn harvest began early because of the drought.

Lincoln County also received some moisture and nights were cool with temperatures at freezing levels or lower.

The warm and dry conditions in Platte County made for good field access and silage harvest moved forward. Grasses still looked worse than what is usually seen for the start of the fall season. Without adequate moisture the grazing season was wrapping up. Winds picked up at week’s end which further dried out pastures and fields.

Irrigation water supplies across the State were rated 27 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 20 percent fair, and 36 percent good, compared to 23 percent very poor, 17 percent poor, 23 percent fair, and 37 percent good last week.

Stock water supplies across Wyoming were rated 15 percent very short, 37 percent short, and 48 percent adequate, compared to 13 percent very short, 33 percent short, and 54 percent adequate last week.

 CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS 

Commodity 

Current week 

Previous week 

Previous year 

5-year average 

 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

Alfalfa hay 

    

3rd cutting harvested 

43 

38 

62 

64 

Corn 

    

Dented 

87 

76 

85 

81 

Mature 

34 

18 

32 

38 

Harvested for silage 

79 

50 

71 

65 

Dry edible beans 

    

Turning color 

93 

84 

NA 

NA 

Cut 

83 

54 

70 

73 

Harvested 

27 

51 

53 

Sugarbeets 

    

Harvested 

13 

33 

NA 

Winter wheat 

    

Planted 

70 

67 

60 

70 

Emerged 

40 

24 

27 

32 

 DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION 

 

Current week 

Previous week 

Previous year 

5-year average 

Days suitable for fieldwork

6.1 

6.2 

7.0 

6.1 

Topsoil moisture 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

Very short 

30 

39 

43 

27 

Short 

44 

39 

45 

38 

Adequate 

26 

22 

12 

34 

Surplus 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Subsoil moisture 

    

Very short 

33 

40 

47 

31 

Short 

42 

43 

37 

36 

Adequate 

25 

17 

16 

32 

Surplus 

-- 

-- 

-- 

CROP, LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE CONDITION 

Commodity 

Current week 

Previous week 

Previous year 

5-year average 

 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

Alfalfa hay 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

NA 

NA 

Poor 

-- 

NA 

NA 

Fair 

23 

23 

NA 

NA 

Good 

76 

77 

NA 

NA 

Excellent 

-- 

-- 

NA 

NA 

Corn 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor 

-- 

Fair 

17 

11 

16 

Good 

77 

86 

88 

80 

Excellent 

Dry edible beans 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

NA 

Poor 

-- 

-- 

NA 

Fair 

34 

27 

18 

NA 

Good 

63 

72 

82 

NA 

Excellent 

-- 

NA 

Pasture and range 

    

Very poor 

11 

20 

32 

18 

Poor 

13 

15 

36 

21 

Fair 

30 

27 

25 

34 

Good 

44 

36 

25 

Excellent 

-- 

Sugarbeets 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

Poor 

-- 

-- 

Fair 

14 

22 

27 

16 

Good 

85 

77 

62 

78 

Excellent 

-- 

Livestock 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor 

Fair 

39 

18 

Good 

73 

75 

54 

75 

Excellent 

19 

17