Colorado Crop Progress and Condition Summary – Week Ending August 26, 2018

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Producers made significant harvest gains last week amidst warm weather and isolated precipitation, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Several crops were noted to be progressing a little ahead of the average and last year. Limited seeding of winter wheat also began last week in a few counties.

Some northwestern counties received needed moisture last week. A reporter noted the precipitation was enough to keep producers from haying in areas.

In northeastern and east central counties, harvest of several crops picked up due to dry weather last week. In areas that haven’t received hail, crop conditions were noted to be above average. A reporter mentioned dryland crop and pasture conditions in drier areas remained a concern for producers. Livestock were reportedly doing well, and some producers began pre-conditioning programs on cattle for weaning.

In southwestern counties, monsoonal moisture flow was not as productive as expected and there was no relief from exceptional drought conditions.

In the San Luis Valley, barley harvest continued with only mild interruptions due to scattered storms. Potato harvest moved forward slightly last week with most vines killed. Additionally, a reporter noted production from natural hay meadows was significantly below average, and pasture and rangelands also remained very short.

In southeastern counties, reporters noted that scattered showers improved pasture and range as well as crop conditions. Received moisture reportedly delayed haying last week.

Statewide, stored feed supplies were rated 4 percent very short, 21 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 2 percent heavy, 60 percent average, and 38 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 66 percent average and 34 percent light.

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS
Commodity	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Alfalfa hay
3rd cutting harvested ..........................................	56	41	52	47
4th cutting harvested ..........................................	1	NA	NA	NA
Barley
Harvested ..........................................................	77	52	53	53
Corn
Doughed ............................................................	78	64	61	71
Dented ...............................................................	25	8	14	27
Mature ...............................................................	1	NA	--	--
Harvested for silage ..........................................	16	6	4	5
Dry edible beans
Blooming ..........................................................	97	92	NA	NA
Cut ....................................................................	28	20	1	4
Harvested ..........................................................	1	NA	NA	NA
Onions
Harvested ..........................................................	19	10	11	10
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	7	4	1	2
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	23	12	15	20
Sorghum
Headed ..............................................................	91	85	89	82
Turning color ....................................................	37	17	24	30
Spring wheat
Turning color ....................................................	95	90	96	95
Harvested ..........................................................	57	42	26	38
Winter wheat
Planted ..............................................................	1	NA	--	1
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION
	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
Days suitable for fieldwork ....................................	6.7	6.3	6.8	6.2
Topsoil moisture	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Very short .........................................................	11	11	1	9
Short .................................................................	26	24	14	28
Adequate ..........................................................	61	62	80	60
Surplus..............................................................	2	3	5	3
Subsoil moisture
Very short .........................................................	17	17	1	13
Short .................................................................	25	25	17	27
Adequate ..........................................................	56	56	80	59
Surplus..............................................................	2	2	2	1
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	8	2	3
Poor ...................................................................	17	15	10	8
Fair ....................................................................	26	26	30	26
Good .................................................................	41	42	53	51
Excellent ...........................................................	8	9	5	12
Corn
Very poor ..........................................................	3	3	--	3
Poor ...................................................................	11	16	6	6
Fair ....................................................................	20	24	21	22
Good .................................................................	57	50	62	56
Excellent ...........................................................	9	7	11	13
Dry edible beans
Very poor ..........................................................	11	12	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	23	22	3	4
Fair ....................................................................	31	32	21	30
Good .................................................................	30	28	74	57
Excellent ...........................................................	5	6	2	8
Onions
Very poor ..........................................................	7	3	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	9	2	3	4
Fair ....................................................................	16	18	34	20
Good .................................................................	62	67	56	62
Excellent ...........................................................	6	10	7	13
Pasture and range
Very poor ..........................................................	26	28	--	7
Poor ...................................................................	24	24	10	16
Fair ....................................................................	23	27	24	26
Good .................................................................	24	19	54	43
Excellent ...........................................................	3	2	12	8
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	--	--	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	1	4	8	NA
Fair ....................................................................	8	9	13	NA
Good .................................................................	69	66	56	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	22	21	23	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	3	3	--	NA
Fair ....................................................................	13	13	7	NA
Good .................................................................	59	59	86	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	23	23	7	NA
Sorghum
Very poor ..........................................................	4	4	6	5
Poor ...................................................................	14	17	7	11
Fair ....................................................................	26	31	13	31
Good .................................................................	53	46	65	49
Excellent ...........................................................	3	2	9	4
Spring wheat
Very poor ..........................................................	11	9	--	3
Poor ...................................................................	2	2	5	5
Fair ....................................................................	16	18	25	28
Good .................................................................	62	61	66	59
Excellent ...........................................................	9	10	4	5
Sugarbeets
Very poor ..........................................................	1	1	1	--
Poor ...................................................................	2	3	1	2
Fair ....................................................................	33	25	9	14
Good .................................................................	44	49	81	70
Excellent ...........................................................	20	22	8	14
Sunflowers
Very poor ..........................................................	1	1	1	4
Poor ...................................................................	4	6	2	9
Fair ....................................................................	26	28	16	28
Good .................................................................	64	61	73	51
Excellent ...........................................................	5	4	8	8
Livestock
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	2	3	2	2
Fair ....................................................................	18	21	14	19
Good .................................................................	68	63	77	69
Excellent ...........................................................	10	11	7	9