Colorado crop progress and condition summary – week ending September 16, 2018

iStock

Hot and dry weather accelerated crop maturity and harvest activities last week, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Northwestern counties received no moisture, and new fires were reported. In northeastern counties, winter wheat planting slowed slightly due to dry conditions. Reporters noted early sugar beet harvest was also underway and millet harvest progressed well last week. Livestock were reportedly in good condition, with producers starting to wean calves.

East central counties also experienced warmer than normal temperatures and no moisture. A reporter noted crops were doing well but some grain sorghum wasn’t expected to make it to maturity due to moisture received too late.

In southwestern counties, hot and dry temperatures provided no relief from exceptional drought conditions.

In the San Luis Valley, potato harvest picked up last week and barley harvest was virtually complete. Harvest conditions were noted to be very good, although warm. A reporter noted some producers were feeding hay to supplement livestock on pastures that were short on grass.

Southeastern counties also experienced hot, dry, and windy conditions last week.

Stored feed supplies were rated 5 percent very short, 12 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 63 percent average and 37 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 69 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
3rd cutting harvested ..........................................	84	74	77	76
4th cutting harvested ..........................................	23	13	12	14
Barley
Harvested ..........................................................	95	92	91	94
Corn
Dented ...............................................................	86	72	69	81
Mature ...............................................................	22	8	18	20
Harvested for silage ..........................................	77	55	49	50
Dry edible beans
Cut ....................................................................	81	69	48	39
Harvested ..........................................................	48	35	16	17
Onions
Harvested ..........................................................	77	66	47	40
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	20	13	12	19
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	58	45	37	61
Sorghum
Turning color ....................................................	88	75	78	75
Mature ...............................................................	13	9	12	18
Spring wheat
Harvested ..........................................................	89	79	79	80
Sugarbeets
Harvested ..........................................................	4	--	NA	NA
Winter wheat
Planted ..............................................................	24	7	21	27
Emerged ............................................................	11	1	3	6
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION
	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
Days suitable for fieldwork ....................................	6.9	6.0	6.8	6.3
Topsoil moisture	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Very short .........................................................	12	10	3	6
Short .................................................................	35	29	33	31
Adequate ..........................................................	52	59	63	60
Surplus..............................................................	1	2	1	3
Subsoil moisture
Very short .........................................................	13	14	2	11
Short .................................................................	29	24	31	32
Adequate ..........................................................	57	60	66	56
Surplus..............................................................	1	2	1	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	9	3	2
Poor ...................................................................	15	14	11	8
Fair ....................................................................	25	25	22	25
Good .................................................................	45	44	57	54
Excellent ...........................................................	7	8	7	11
Corn
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	1	3
Poor ...................................................................	5	7	10	7
Fair ....................................................................	14	21	24	24
Good .................................................................	70	63	51	52
Excellent ...........................................................	9	7	14	14
Dry edible beans
Very poor ..........................................................	11	8	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	19	22	6	4
Fair ....................................................................	13	18	24	33
Good .................................................................	53	48	65	54
Excellent ...........................................................	4	4	5	8
Pasture and range
Very poor ..........................................................	26	22	--	5
Poor ...................................................................	21	23	12	16
Fair ....................................................................	22	22	27	28
Good .................................................................	29	31	50	43
Excellent ...........................................................	2	2	11	8
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	--	--	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	4	4	15	NA
Fair ....................................................................	13	15	20	NA
Good .................................................................	59	53	50	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	24	28	15	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	2	--	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	3	5	--	NA
Fair ....................................................................	9	6	11	NA
Good .................................................................	65	69	85	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	21	20	4	NA
Sorghum
Very poor ..........................................................	4	4	1	4
Poor ...................................................................	6	7	3	11
Fair ....................................................................	25	26	10	31
Good .................................................................	62	60	72	49
Excellent ...........................................................	3	3	14	5
Sugarbeets
Very poor ..........................................................	2	--	1	--
Poor ...................................................................	4	2	1	2
Fair ....................................................................	20	31	5	13
Good .................................................................	52	48	79	70
Excellent ...........................................................	22	19	14	15
Sunflowers
Very poor ..........................................................	1	--	1	4
Poor ...................................................................	1	1	3	11
Fair ....................................................................	24	28	16	28
Good .................................................................	69	67	70	49
Excellent ...........................................................	5	4	10	8
Livestock
Very poor ..........................................................	2	1	--	--
Poor ...................................................................	2	2	2	2
Fair ....................................................................	14	13	9	17
Good .................................................................	74	77	81	71
Excellent ...........................................................	8	7	8	10