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Ag stats: Wyoming crop progress and condition report – week ending September 26, 2021

© iStock - William_Potter

This week brought little relief to conditions in Wyoming, according to the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Much of the State received minimal precipitation, with totals between 0.1 and 0.3 inches. The southwestern corner of the State remained exceptionally dry, with no significant moisture reported this week. Lincoln and Niobrara counties reported very little moisture, with Niobrara reporting continuing extremely dry conditions.

Isolated areas in the State did receive much needed moisture. Portions of Converse County received over half an inch of rainfall and Teton and Park counties received over an inch of moisture.

Daily temperatures ranged from average to 3 degrees below average for much of the State this week. Counties along the western border experienced average minimum temperatures below freezing and Lincoln County reported temperatures dipping below freezing at night. The exception was the northeastern corner of the State, with daily temperatures 1 to 4 degrees above average for this time of year.

The lack of precipitation kept drought conditions mostly unchanged. According to the United States Drought Monitor for September 23, 2021, 100.0 percent of the State continues to experience drought conditions. The amount of land experiencing abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions remained unchanged at 3.2 percent and 32.9 percent, respectively. Severe drought increased to cover 38.7 percent of the State, compared to 37.0 percent last week. Extreme drought conditions decreased from 26.9 percent last week to 25.2 percent of the State this week. 

Weston County reported that rangeland conditions remain unchanged, with minimal late season grass growth reported. There were comments this week of wildlife moving to winter pastures and continued reports of producers selling down livestock herds.

Lincoln County reported hay is extremely short and producers are considering selling parts of their main herds due to the lack of hay.

Goshen county reported producers are harvesting a fourth cutting of alfalfa hay. Overall, alfalfa hay harvest is slightly behind with the third cutting reported at 63 percent harvested this week, compared to 71 percent this time last year.

Harvest of corn for silage continues to progress, with harvest reported at 75 percent complete this week, compared to 73 percent complete this time last year.

Dry edible beans progressed significantly this week. The crop was reported as 74 percent cut and 55 percent harvested, compared to 46 percent cut and 30 percent harvested last week, and 81 percent cut, and 63 percent harvested this time last year.

Winter wheat planting is comparable to last year, with planting reported at 63 percent complete this week, compared to 60 percent complete this time last year.

Stock water supplies across Wyoming were rated 34 percent very short, 54 percent short, and 12 percent adequate, compared to 36 percent very short, 51 percent short, and 13 percent adequate last week.

Irrigation water supplies were rated 20 percent very poor, 42 percent poor, 18 percent fair, and 20 percent good.

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS

Commodity

Current week

Previous week

Previous year

5-year average

 

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

Alfalfa 

    

3rd cutting harvested 

63 

58 

71 

65 

Corn 

    

Dented 

89 

62 

86 

82 

Mature 

34 

20 

61 

41 

Harvested for silage 

75 

49 

73 

68 

Dry edible beans 

    

Cut 

74 

46 

81 

76 

Harvested 

55 

30 

63 

55 

Sugarbeets 

    

Harvested 

34 

24 

NA 

NA 

Winter Wheat 

    

Planted 

63 

40 

60 

77 

Emerged 

27 

25 

27 

36 

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION

 

Current week

Previous week

Previous year

5-year average

Days suitable for fieldwork 

7.0 

6.8 

6.9 

5.9 

Topsoil moisture 

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

Very short 

43 

41 

37 

21 

Short 

45 

47 

34 

35 

Adequate 

12 

12 

29 

40 

Surplus 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Subsoil moisture 

    

Very short 

47 

52 

45 

24 

Short 

37 

36 

36 

36 

Adequate 

16 

12 

19 

38 

Surplus 

-- 

-- 

-- 

CROP, LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE CONDITION

Commodity

Current week

Previous week

Previous year

5-year average

 

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

Corn 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor 

-- 

-- 

Fair 

30 

18 

Good 

88 

87 

63 

78 

Excellent 

-- 

Dry edible beans 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

NA 

NA 

Poor 

-- 

-- 

NA 

NA 

Fair 

18 

12 

NA 

NA 

Good 

82 

88 

NA 

NA 

Excellent 

-- 

-- 

NA 

NA 

Pasture and range 

    

Very poor 

32 

39 

31 

15 

Poor 

36 

32 

33 

16 

Fair 

25 

24 

28 

36 

Good 

31 

Excellent 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Sugarbeets 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor 

-- 

-- 

Fair 

27 

25 

13 

Good 

62 

71 

99 

84 

Excellent 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Livestock 

    

Very poor 

-- 

-- 

Poor 

Fair 

39 

37 

19 

13 

Good 

54 

55 

76 

80 

Excellent 

--