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Colorado Crop Progress and Condition Summary – June 3, 2018

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Colorado experienced mixed weather again last week with conditions deteriorating in drought-stricken areas and fieldwork delayed in others due to heavy rainfall, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. 

Northeastern counties received good moisture early in the week, with tornadoes and isolated hail also reported. Fieldwork was delayed in areas where rain was heaviest. Reporters noted most crops were doing well. Warm weather and favorable soil moisture promoted emergence and growth of spring crops. Livestock and pasture were reportedly doing well. 

East central counties received varying levels of precipitation, with southern areas receiving less. A reporter in Kiowa county noted that winter wheat was beginning to show signs of stress from lack of moisture. They also noted some county producers were not planting corn or sorghum due to no moisture and extreme drought. Pasture conditions also deteriorated last week in this district. 

Southwestern county reporters noted drought conditions did not improve last week, and a major fire was burning in La Plata county. Measurable precipitation was extremely limited last week. 

In the San Luis Valley, a rain storm at week’s end brought beneficial moisture. Fall potato planting was virtually complete and emergence picked up. 

Southeastern counties received minimal moisture last week, and first cutting alfalfa was noted to be lighter than normal. 

Statewide, winter wheat was just starting to turn color, with 53 percent of the crop rated good to excellent, compared with 48 percent good to excellent last year. 

Stored feed supplies were rated 7 percent very short, 18 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus. 

Sheep death loss was 47 percent average and 53 percent light. 

Cattle death loss was 75 percent average and 25 percent light.

 CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS 

Commodity 

Current week 

Previous week 

Previous year 

5-year average 

 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

Alfalfa hay 

    

1st cutting harvested .......................................... 

17 

21 

19 

Barley 

    

Emerged ............................................................ 

95 

94 

89 

95 

Headed .............................................................. 

-- 

-- 

Corn 

    

Planted .............................................................. 

97 

85 

92 

94 

Emerged ............................................................ 

72 

58 

77 

75 

Dry edible beans 

    

Planted .............................................................. 

27 

26 

28 

Emerged ............................................................ 

10 

NA 

Potatoes inside San Luis Valley 

   

Planted .............................................................. 

97 

93 

90 

96 

Emerged ............................................................ 

30 

18 

18 

Potatoes outside San Luis Valley 

   

Planted .............................................................. 

99 

88 

92 

NA 

Emerged ............................................................ 

75 

51 

86 

82 

Sorghum 

    

Planted .............................................................. 

47 

27 

31 

30 

Emerged ............................................................ 

15 

NA 

Spring wheat 

    

Planted .............................................................. 

94 

92 

90 

94 

Emerged ............................................................ 

86 

79 

79 

82 

Headed .............................................................. 

NA 

-- 

Sugarbeets 

    

Emerged ............................................................ 

92 

84 

95 

89 

Sunflowers 

    

Planted .............................................................. 

18 

11 

17 

Winter wheat 

    

Headed .............................................................. 

76 

60 

89 

74 

Turning color .................................................... 

     

 DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION 

 

Current week 

Previous week 

Previous year 

5-year average 

Days suitable for fieldwork .................................... 

6.3 

5.8 

5.5 

5.5 

Topsoil moisture 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

(percent) 

Very short ......................................................... 

18 

13 

10 

Short ................................................................. 

27 

23 

18 

Adequate .......................................................... 

54 

61 

83 

64 

Surplus.............................................................. 

10 

Subsoil moisture 

    

Very short ......................................................... 

14 

14 

14 

Short ................................................................. 

20 

20 

20 

Adequate .......................................................... 

66 

65 

88 

62 

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 .......................................................... 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

11 

10 

Fair .................................................................... 

25 

27 

27 

26 

Good ................................................................. 

44 

42 

59 

52 

Excellent ........................................................... 

12 

12 

14 

Barley 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

-- 

Fair .................................................................... 

26 

32 

15 

21 

Good ................................................................. 

55 

45 

64 

56 

Excellent ........................................................... 

18 

20 

21 

22 

Corn 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

-- 

Fair .................................................................... 

17 

25 

Good ................................................................. 

81 

84 

71 

58 

Excellent ........................................................... 

12 

12 

Onions 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

-- 

-- 

Fair .................................................................... 

30 

16 

20 

16 

Good ................................................................. 

64 

70 

75 

69 

Excellent ........................................................... 

11 

11 

Pasture and range 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

16 

17 

-- 

10 

Poor ................................................................... 

24 

20 

15 

Fair .................................................................... 

24 

27 

17 

22 

Good ................................................................. 

30 

31 

69 

44 

Excellent ........................................................... 

13 

Potatoes outside San Luis Valley 

   

Very poor .......................................................... 

-- 

-- 

-- 

NA 

Poor ................................................................... 

-- 

-- 

NA 

Fair .................................................................... 

11 

20 

13 

NA 

Good ................................................................. 

65 

70 

74 

NA 

Excellent ........................................................... 

24 

13 

NA 

Spring wheat 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

15 

35 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

-- 

Fair .................................................................... 

20 

24 

Good ................................................................. 

54 

45 

94 

69 

Excellent ........................................................... 

Sugarbeets 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

-- 

-- 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

-- 

-- 

Fair .................................................................... 

40 

24 

18 

19 

Good ................................................................. 

45 

54 

71 

66 

Excellent ........................................................... 

15 

15 

11 

13 

Winter wheat 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

13 

Poor ................................................................... 

17 

14 

13 

15 

Fair .................................................................... 

25 

25 

34 

29 

Good ................................................................. 

46 

49 

42 

35 

Excellent ........................................................... 

Livestock 

    

Very poor .......................................................... 

-- 

-- 

Poor ................................................................... 

Fair .................................................................... 

13 

19 

10 

18 

Good ................................................................. 

70 

64 

75 

68 

Excellent ........................................................... 

13 

12 

13 

11