Ag stats: Colorado crop progress and conditions report – week ending September 20, 2020
Warm and dry weather persisted last week, allowing good harvest progress of spring crops and hay, according to the Mountain Region Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
In northeastern counties, corn silage harvest picked up quickly due to dry weather and producers were preparing for grain harvest. County reports noted non-irrigated spring crop yields were below expectations. Producers were also actively seeding winter wheat. Livestock producers continued to provide supplemental feed and pull cattle off native grass as pasture conditions remained poor.
In east central counties, dry weather prevailed, and harvest of several spring crops progressed. More producers began limited harvest of corn for grain. Prior cold temperatures in areas were enough to freeze crops and stop further growing season progress.
Conditions in southwestern counties remained very dry and stricken by drought. Harvest of crops including dry beans progressed from the prior week.
In the San Luis Valley, weather was ideal for potato harvest and producers made very good progress. The third cutting of alfalfa progressed but was still delayed slightly by prior snowy weather.
In southeastern counties, dry conditions allowed corn silage and alfalfa harvest to progress quickly. County reports noted corn for grain was quickly drying down.
Statewide, stored feed supplies were rated 7 percent very short, 33 percent short, 57 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus.
Sheep death loss was 68 percent average and 32 percent light.
Cattle death loss was 83 percent average and 17 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 | 76 | 68 | 79 | 83 |
4th cutting harvested | 22 | 13 | 28 | 25 |
Corn | ||||
Dented | 93 | 87 | 72 | 85 |
Mature | 42 | 27 | 18 | 29 |
Harvested for grain | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
Harvested for silage | 68 | 43 | 44 | 62 |
Dry edible beans | ||||
Cut | 56 | 33 | 38 | 51 |
Harvested | 12 | 5 | 15 | 25 |
Onions | ||||
Harvested | 53 | 25 | 35 | 56 |
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley | ||||
Harvested | 30 | 11 | 33 | 24 |
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley | ||||
Harvested | 67 | 53 | 53 | 59 |
Proso Millet | ||||
Harvested | 66 | 50 | 52 | NA |
Sorghum | ||||
Turning color | 87 | 75 | 79 | 86 |
Mature | 47 | 35 | 24 | 24 |
Harvested | 15 | 3 | -- | -- |
Sugarbeets | ||||
Harvested | 21 | 8 | NA | NA |
Winter wheat | ||||
Planted | 45 | 30 | 37 | 38 |
Emerged | 13 | 8 | 15 | 14 |
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION | ||||
Current week | Previous week | Previous year | 5-year average | |
Days suitable for fieldwork | 6.9 | 4.9 | 6.7 | 6.5 |
Topsoil moisture | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) | (percent) |
Very short | 25 | 34 | 6 | 7 |
Short | 43 | 38 | 30 | 31 |
Adequate | 31 | 27 | 63 | 61 |
Surplus. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Subsoil moisture | ||||
Very short | 32 | 38 | 4 | 7 |
Short | 43 | 39 | 30 | 29 |
Adequate | 25 | 23 | 64 | 63 |
Surplus. | -- | -- | 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 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
Poor | 17 | 10 | 5 | 9 |
Fair | 22 | 25 | 9 | 21 |
Good | 49 | 53 | 71 | 57 |
Excellent | 5 | 5 | 11 | 10 |
Corn | ||||
Very poor | 16 | 17 | -- | 1 |
Poor | 19 | 16 | 3 | 6 |
Fair | 26 | 27 | 19 | 22 |
Good | 34 | 35 | 65 | 58 |
Excellent | 5 | 5 | 13 | 13 |
Dry edible beans | ||||
Very poor | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Poor | 27 | 22 | 7 | 7 |
Fair | 36 | 41 | 32 | 27 |
Good | 35 | 33 | 50 | 56 |
Excellent | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 |
Onions | ||||
Very poor | 3 | 3 | -- | NA |
Poor | 6 | 6 | -- | NA |
Fair | 24 | 24 | 8 | NA |
Good | 62 | 62 | 89 | NA |
Excellent | 5 | 5 | 3 | NA |
Pasture and range | ||||
Very poor | 21 | 23 | 4 | 7 |
Poor | 30 | 34 | 7 | 13 |
Fair | 32 | 32 | 25 | 25 |
Good | 17 | 11 | 57 | 47 |
Excellent | -- | -- | 7 | 8 |
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley | ||||
Very poor | 3 | 6 | -- | -- |
Poor | 7 | 13 | 3 | 5 |
Fair | 18 | 19 | 33 | 20 |
Good | 53 | 46 | 44 | 53 |
Excellent | 19 | 16 | 20 | 22 |
Sorghum | ||||
Very poor | 11 | 18 | 1 | 1 |
Poor | 21 | 21 | 2 | 6 |
Fair | 48 | 42 | 25 | 26 |
Good | 17 | 17 | 62 | 60 |
Excellent | 3 | 2 | 10 | 7 |
Sugarbeets | ||||
Very poor | 3 | 3 | -- | 1 |
Poor | 8 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
Fair | 27 | 25 | 12 | 13 |
Good | 53 | 54 | 75 | 68 |
Excellent | 9 | 10 | 12 | 16 |
Sunflowers | ||||
Very poor | 11 | 9 | -- | -- |
Poor | 25 | 34 | -- | 4 |
Fair | 39 | 41 | 22 | 25 |
Good | 23 | 15 | 67 | 61 |
Excellent | 2 | 1 | 11 | 10 |
Livestock | ||||
Very poor | 2 | 2 | -- | -- |
Poor | 6 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
Fair | 32 | 32 | 7 | 12 |
Good | 50 | 51 | 77 | 76 |
Excellent | 10 | 9 | 13 | 11 |
