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Person in a green field with agriculture icon imposed

Colorado crop progress and condition report – week ending May 15, 2022

© iStock - William_Potter

Warm weather helped fieldwork and crop emergence advance last week, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 92 percent of the State is under drought conditions, up 1 percentage point from last week. Fifty-seven percent of the State is experiencing severe to exceptional drought conditions, up 9 percentage points from last week. Extreme drought conditions are affecting 6 percent of the State, up 2 percentage points from the previous week. In northeastern and east central counties, reporters noted that wheat conditions and growth rate vary greatly due to continued winds and lack of moisture.

Counties continued to experience strong winds throughout the week, with the northeastern corner of the state experiencing gusts above 50 miles per hour.

Counties in eastern districts saw temperatures more than 10 degrees above average last week.

In Southwestern counties, dry weather and winds continue to deteriorate crop conditions. A county reporter noted that many producers have finished planting spring crops, but some fields have been replanted due to winds blowing seed away.

In the San Luis Valley, potato planting progressed quickly, and some barley fields are being replanted due to high winds. County reports noted fields are starting to green up, but the alfalfa crop was setback by a late frost.

The southeastern counties continue to experience high winds. Above average temperatures and dry conditions throughout the region continue to worsen crop and pasture conditions.

As of May 8, 2022, snowpack in Colorado was 55 percent measured as percent of median snowfall, down 17 percentage points from the previous week. The Southwest and San Luis Valley were 6 and 2 percent, respectively, both down greatly from the previous week.

Stored feed supplies were rated 12 percent very short, 26 percent short, 61 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 79 percent average and 21 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 1 percent heavy, 83 percent average, and 16 percent light.

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS

Commodity

Current week

Previous week

Previous year

5-year average

 

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

Barley 

    

Planted 

95 

85 

94 

94 

Emerged 

70 

54 

79 

83 

Corn 

    

Planted 

41 

23 

51 

55 

Emerged 

-- 

15 

Onions 

    

Planted 

57 

45 

78 

NA 

Potatoes inside San Luis Valley 

    

Planted 

79 

50 

80 

73 

Potatoes outside San Luis Valley 

    

Planted 

55 

40 

75 

73 

Emerged 

12 

12 

21 

Proso millet 

    

Planted 

-- 

NA 

Sorghum 

    

Planted 

-- 

Sugarbeets 

    

Planted 

71 

48 

83 

85 

Emerged 

13 

15 

36 

Sunflowers 

    

Planted 

-- 

Winter wheat 

    

Pastured 

21 

NA 

NA 

Jointed 

74 

55 

83 

80 

Headed 

-- 

15 

DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION

 

Current week

Previous week

Previous year

5-year average

Days suitable for fieldwork 

6.8 

4.1 

5.0 

5.2 

Topsoil moisture 

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

(percent)

Very short 

30 

38 

Short 

30 

30 

29 

21 

Adequate 

40 

27 

62 

67 

Surplus 

-- 

Subsoil moisture 

    

Very short 

33 

31 

22 

12 

Short 

41 

44 

34 

22 

Adequate 

26 

25 

44 

65 

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 

10 

Poor 

10 

Fair 

34 

34 

24 

22 

Good 

45 

55 

52 

56 

Excellent 

-- 

18 

12 

Barley 

    

Very poor 

NA 

-- 

Poor 

NA 

Fair 

19 

NA 

32 

19 

Good 

57 

NA 

44 

56 

Excellent 

17 

NA 

17 

23 

Pasture and range 

    

Very poor 

33 

21 

13 

Poor 

19 

21 

27 

13 

Fair 

18 

24 

50 

31 

Good 

30 

34 

43 

Excellent 

-- 

-- 

Winter wheat 

    

Very poor 

20 

24 

10 

Poor 

25 

34 

20 

14 

Fair 

36 

31 

38 

32 

Good 

18 

11 

29 

39 

Excellent 

-- 

Livestock 

    

Very poor 

-- 

Poor 

11 

Fair 

26 

26 

23 

19 

Good 

58 

52 

59 

65 

Excellent 

10