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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.

Based on September 1 conditions, corn production in Colorado is forecast at 174.20 million bushels, according to the September 1 Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the Mountain Regional Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. This forecast is down 2 percent from the August 1 forecast and down 6 percent from the 185.90 million bushels produced last year. The 1.34 million acres expected to be harvested for grain this year are unchanged from the August 1 forecast and 40,000 acres above the 1.30 million acres harvested a year ago.

Conditions for fieldwork were mixed last week, but planting and harvesting activities continued around scattered moisture events early in the week, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is gearing up to conduct the Agricultural Labor Survey, which is conducted twice each year. The survey will collect information about hired labor from more than 900 farmers and ranchers in the six state Mountain Region including Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

"Labor is obviously critical to farming operations and data about the use of hired workers helps administer farm labor programs," said Bill Meyer, Director of the NASS Mountain Regional Field Office.

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.

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. 

COLORADO

The number of cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in Colorado feedlots with a capacity of 1,000 head or larger was estimated at 890,000 head as of August 1, 2018. The latest inventory was 4 percent below last month, but up 1 percent from the August 1, 2017 inventory. 

Cattle feeders with 1,000 head or larger capacity marketed an estimated 170,000 head of fed cattle during July 2018, up 6 percent from the previous month and 6 percent above marketings one year earlier. 

United States Highlights

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.24 billion pounds in July, up 6 percent from the 3.99

billion pounds produced in July 2017.

Beef production, at 2.23 billion pounds, was 6 percent above the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.77 million head,

up 6 percent from July 2017. The average live weight was down 3 pounds from the previous year, at 1,330 pounds.

Veal production totaled 6.1 million pounds, 8 percent above July a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 47,800 head, up 22

Harvest of mature crops progressed last week between precipitation events, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.