Colorado Crop Progress and Condition Summary – Week Ending August 12, 2018

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Warn and mostly dry conditions were ideal for fieldwork activities last week, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Northeastern county reporters noted moisture supplies held steady in areas despite a hot week. Producers affected by the storm on July 29th continued to assess damages. A reporter noted loss of contracted feed crops due to the storm had livestock producers looking for feed in alternative areas. Non-irrigated crops and pasture in areas that have not received recent moisture were showing drought stress with some producers reporting crop failure.

In east central counties, crops were noted to be doing well in those areas that benefitted from recent rains. A reporter in Kiowa county noted CRP opened for grazing helped relieve pressure on native pastures; recent moisture helped grass recover and gain some late growth.

In the San Luis Valley, barley harvest was in full swing last week and producers were preparing for potato harvest. Reporters noted there were some scattered showers, but pasture and rangeland continued to be very short.

Southwestern counties received little moisture last week and exceptional drought conditions persisted. Monsoon moisture has yet to provide projected relief.

Southeastern counties received spotty precipitation in areas, but drought conditions continued. Hay harvest progressed well, and crops were noted to be improving where moisture was received.

Statewide, stored feed supplies were rated 7 percent very short, 17 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 2 percent heavy, 59 percent average, and 39 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 2 percent heavy, 67 percent average, and 31 percent light.

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS
Commodity	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Alfalfa hay
2nd cutting harvested .........................................	87	78	85	86
3rd cutting harvested ..........................................	29	16	27	24
Barley
Turning color ....................................................	93	89	92	90
Harvested ..........................................................	21	9	10	24
Corn
Silked ................................................................	93	83	95	92
Doughed ............................................................	42	23	22	26
Dented ...............................................................	3	--	1	2
Harvested for silage ..........................................	1	--	--	1
Dry edible beans
Blooming ..........................................................	88	79	85	87
Cut ....................................................................	11	4	NA	NA
Onions
Harvested ..........................................................	4	1	2	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	7	1	8	4
Sorghum
Headed ..............................................................	76	62	65	56
Turning color ....................................................	10	6	5	14
Spring wheat
Turning color ....................................................	76	60	89	82
Harvested ...............	13	5	8	15
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION
	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
Days suitable for fieldwork ....................................	6.5	6.0	4.2	5.9
Topsoil moisture	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Very short .........................................................	12	15	1	8
Short .................................................................	30	25	14	25
Adequate ..........................................................	54	56	78	63
Surplus..............................................................	4	4	7	4
Subsoil moisture
Very short .........................................................	18	22	1	13
Short .................................................................	25	21	16	26
Adequate ..........................................................	53	53	80	59
Surplus..............................................................	4	4	3	2
CROP, LIVESTOCK, PASTURE AND RANGE CONDITION
Commodity	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Alfalfa hay
Very poor ..........................................................	8	10	4	4
Poor ...................................................................	17	16	13	9
Fair ....................................................................	30	29	25	25
Good .................................................................	37	37	52	50
Excellent ...........................................................	8	8	6	12
Barley
Very poor ..........................................................	--	1	--	--
Poor ...................................................................	--	1	5	2
Fair ....................................................................	34	27	27	22
Good .................................................................	47	52	56	54
Excellent ...........................................................	19	19	12	22
Corn
Very poor ..........................................................	3	6	--	2
Poor ...................................................................	8	5	9	6
Fair ....................................................................	26	18	19	21
Good .................................................................	58	66	57	58
Excellent ...........................................................	5	5	15	13
Dry edible beans
Very poor ..........................................................	11	9	--	--
Poor ...................................................................	19	21	6	3
Fair ....................................................................	17	15	25	35
Good .................................................................	47	45	67	56
Excellent ...........................................................	6	10	2	6
Onions
Very poor ..........................................................	4	2	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	5	2	2	3
Fair ....................................................................	32	30	35	19
Good .................................................................	52	55	59	66
Excellent ...........................................................	7	11	4	11
Pasture and range
Very poor ..........................................................	30	33	--	7
Poor ...................................................................	29	24	8	15
Fair ....................................................................	24	20	24	26
Good .................................................................	15	20	59	44
Excellent ...........................................................	2	3	9	8
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	--	--	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	5	4	8	NA
Fair ....................................................................	16	16	15	NA
Good .................................................................	53	53	54	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	26	27	23	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	3	3	--	NA
Fair ....................................................................	13	12	4	NA
Good .................................................................	59	60	88	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	23	23	8	NA
Sorghum
Very poor ..........................................................	9	14	2	5
Poor ...................................................................	13	9	4	11
Fair ....................................................................	23	16	13	30
Good .................................................................	53	57	71	50
Excellent ...........................................................	2	4	10	4
Spring wheat
Very poor ..........................................................	15	10	--	2
Poor ...................................................................	7	1	7	6
Fair ....................................................................	14	15	27	29
Good .................................................................	56	60	62	58
Excellent ...........................................................	8	14	4	5
Sugarbeets
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	1	--
Poor ...................................................................	5	6	1	2
Fair ....................................................................	18	21	10	15
Good .................................................................	53	51	77	69
Excellent ...........................................................	22	20	11	14
Sunflowers
Very poor ..........................................................	2	3	--	4
Poor ...................................................................	4	4	2	9
Fair ....................................................................	25	18	15	28
Good .................................................................	61	65	76	51
Excellent ...........................................................	8	10	7	8
Livestock
Very poor ..........................................................	2	5	--	--
Poor ...................................................................	3	5	1	2
Fair ....................................................................	21	19	14	18
Good .................................................................	66	61	77	70
Excellent ...........................................................	8	10	8	10