agriculture

Planting activities kept pace with the average last week amidst mixed weather, including above normal temperatures and isolated thunderstorms in areas, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

In northwestern counties, reporters noted rangeland was in mostly fair to good condition and that livestock were being turned out for the summer. Water was noted to be started on irrigated meadows.

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 940,000 head as of May 1, 2018. The latest inventory is 1 percent below last month's inventory and 2 percent below the May 1, 2017 inventory. 

Cattle feeders with 1,000 head or larger capacity marketed an estimated 150,000 head of fed cattle during April 2018. This was 6 percent below the previous month's marketings, but 20 percent above the marketings one year earlier. 

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

• PRIMARY NESTING SEASON -  March 15^th-  July 15 -  NO CRP Contract Management ALLOWED 
• FARM LOAN Personnel in Kiowa County Service Center - Tuesday, June 6^th 
• FSA County Committee Meeting - June 12^th  

The Kearny County Conservation District, along with dozens of sponsors, is launching a conference to help agricultural producers improve practices and profitability in dry climates.

The Bottom Line Conference for Farmers and Ranchers is intended to be an annual event and will feature experts who will speak to soil health, grazing practices, financial management and more over the course of two days.

Topics include

The Finney County Conservation District along with the Finney County Extension Council is presenting their 4^thAnnual Ag Women of the Heartland Conference June 1-2, 2018. The theme for this year's conference is "Keep Calm and Farm On" and will include presentations from Kansas Ag Women with a focus on adapting and overcoming adversity. Registration is $25 (two for the price of one when you bring a first-time attendee.)

Storm systems at week's end brought locally heavy rain to mostly northern and eastern counties, while conditions in western and southern counties continued to deteriorate due to drought, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.

Northeastern county reporters noted moisture last week continued to improve dryland crop and pasture conditions, although isolated damaging hail was also observed. Heavy weekend moisture delayed fieldwork with weed emergence in wheat an issue due to limited field access.

Agriculture producers across 34 Colorado counties may now eligible for physical loss loans due to damages from fires and high winds that occurred this year between February 13 and April 19, as well as a blizzard and high winds that occurred April 13-14. The deadline to apply is January 9, 2019.

Producers in Baca, Chaffee, El Paso, Las Animas, Prowers, Pueblo and Washington counties - designated at primary damage areas - may be eligible for the low-interest loans if they suffered "severe physical losses" which can include buildings and livestock.

Editor's note: Additional counties have received designations. See the latest updates here.

Drought conditions that began to increase in December continue to impact the state, with nearly one-third of Colorado in the extreme or exceptional categories.

The United States Department of Agriculture has designated 14 more Colorado counties to be primary natural disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by ongoing drought conditions in the area.