Colorado crop progress and condition summary – week ending September 2, 2018

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Conditions last week were generally ideal for fieldwork, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. Harvest and maturity of several crops proceeded well ahead of the average.

Northeastern and east central counties experienced mixed conditions last week varying between hot weather and cooler, overcast days. Minimal moisture was received, causing further concern in drier areas regarding fall planting and pasture conditions. A reporter noted corn fields damaged by hail and tornadoes on July 29th were being swathed or cut for silage. Other storm-affected corn fields with little viable plant material were being turned under. Some livestock producers in drought-stressed areas of these counties were reportedly utilizing other grazing options, such as CRP. Demand for surplus feed supplies was noted to be very strong.

Southwestern counties received some scattered moisture, but it made no dent in the drought and conditions remained dire for producers.

In the San Luis Valley, some localities received upwards of 0.75 inches of moisture at week’s end. Potato harvest started to pick up while barley harvest neared completion for several producers. Livestock were reportedly doing well despite drought-stressed rangeland conditions.

In southeastern counties, reporters noted scattered moisture was received last week. A reporter mentioned alfalfa hay quality decreased due to increased incidence of weeds from recent rains.

Statewide, corn was rated 72 percent good to excellent, compared to 55 percent good to excellent last year. Stored feed supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 16 percent short, 80 percent adequate, and 1 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 56 percent average and 44 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 65 percent average and 35 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 ..........................................	65	56	64	59
4th cutting harvested ..........................................	3	1	NA	NA
Barley
Harvested ..........................................................	86	77	73	72
Corn
Doughed ............................................................	94	78	78	86
Dented ...............................................................	45	25	29	45
Mature ...............................................................	2	1	2	2
Harvested for silage ..........................................	34	16	11	13
Dry edible beans
Cut ....................................................................	52	28	6	11
Harvested ..........................................................	23	1	NA	NA
Onions
Harvested ..........................................................	45	19	16	17
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	8	7	4	5
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	34	23	18	32
Sorghum
Headed ..............................................................	94	91	94	89
Turning color ....................................................	60	37	43	43
Spring wheat
Harvested ..........................................................	66	57	48	52
Winter wheat
Planted ..............................................................	2	1	2	5
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION
	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
Days suitable for fieldwork ....................................	6.7	6.7	6.9	6.4
Topsoil moisture	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Very short .........................................................	10	11	2	10
Short .................................................................	29	26	20	30
Adequate ..........................................................	60	61	78	58
Surplus..............................................................	1	2	--	2
Subsoil moisture
Very short .........................................................	13	17	1	14
Short .................................................................	22	25	22	30
Adequate ..........................................................	63	56	77	55
Surplus..............................................................	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 ..........................................................	6	8	2	4
Poor ...................................................................	12	17	13	9
Fair ....................................................................	24	26	27	26
Good .................................................................	50	41	55	50
Excellent ...........................................................	8	8	3	11
Corn
Very poor ..........................................................	2	3	1	4
Poor ...................................................................	6	11	12	8
Fair ....................................................................	20	20	32	26
Good .................................................................	66	57	48	50
Excellent ...........................................................	6	9	7	12
Dry edible beans
Very poor ..........................................................	4	11	--	2
Poor ...................................................................	24	23	7	5
Fair ....................................................................	25	31	23	31
Good .................................................................	38	30	68	54
Excellent ...........................................................	9	5	2	8
Onions
Very poor ..........................................................	6	7	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	7	9	5	4
Fair ....................................................................	11	16	22	17
Good .................................................................	71	62	67	65
Excellent ...........................................................	5	6	6	13
Pasture and range
Very poor ..........................................................	22	26	1	7
Poor ...................................................................	26	24	10	16
Fair ....................................................................	20	23	26	27
Good .................................................................	30	24	52	42
Excellent ...........................................................	2	3	11	8
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	--	--	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	5	1	7	NA
Fair ....................................................................	11	8	12	NA
Good .................................................................	60	69	56	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	24	22	25	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	3	3	--	NA
Fair ....................................................................	13	13	8	NA
Good .................................................................	61	59	84	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	21	23	8	NA
Sorghum
Very poor ..........................................................	4	4	3	5
Poor ...................................................................	6	14	7	11
Fair ....................................................................	26	26	17	32
Good .................................................................	62	53	68	49
Excellent ...........................................................	2	3	5	3
Sugarbeets
Very poor ..........................................................	1	1	1	--
Poor ...................................................................	3	2	3	3
Fair ....................................................................	25	33	10	15
Good .................................................................	50	44	76	67
Excellent ...........................................................	21	20	10	15
Sunflowers
Very poor ..........................................................	1	1	--	4
Poor ...................................................................	1	4	2	10
Fair ....................................................................	27	26	15	28
Good .................................................................	67	64	81	52
Excellent ...........................................................	4	5	2	6
Livestock
Very poor ..........................................................	1	2	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	2	2	1	2
Fair ....................................................................	15	18	14	19
Good .................................................................	75	68	79	69
Excellent ...........................................................	7	10	6	9