Colorado Crop Progress and Condition Summary – Week Ending August 19, 2018

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

Northeastern county reporters noted limited rain last week allowed producers good field access. Harvest of corn silage and hay continued. Pasture and livestock were reportedly in very good condition in areas that received recent moisture. A reporter in Morgan county noted crops and rangeland continued to show drought stress or failure in drier areas. Livestock producers remained concerned regarding short feed supplies and rangeland conditions that deteriorated due to lack of moisture in areas.

East central counties received varying amounts of precipitation last week. Reporters noted drier areas were still in need of moisture to support maturing crops and rangeland condition.

Barley harvest progressed in the San Luis Valley last week, but was hindered by isolated precipitation. Reporters noted mold or sprout damage to barley was a concern due to rain. Potato harvest also started last week and second cutting of alfalfa was winding down.

In southwestern counties, limited precipitation continued to exacerbate exceptional drought conditions and rangeland fires.

Southeastern county reporters noted last week was mainly dry with spotty rain showers. Crop conditions were noted to be improving with recent moisture, but some areas remained dry.

Statewide, stored feed supplies were rated 3 percent very short, 19 percent short, 74 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus.

Sheep death loss was 2 percent heavy, 60 percent average, and 38 percent light.

Cattle death loss was 1 percent heavy, 65 percent average, and 34 percent light.

CROP AND LIVESTOCK PROGRESS
Commodity	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Alfalfa hay
2nd cutting harvested .........................................	96	87	91	93
3rd cutting harvested ..........................................	41	29	38	35
Barley
Turning color ....................................................	95	93	95	97
Harvested ..........................................................	52	21	23	35
Corn
Silked ................................................................	96	93	97	97
Doughed ............................................................	64	42	46	50
Dented ...............................................................	8	3	6	11
Harvested for silage ..........................................	6	1	2	2
Dry edible beans
Blooming ..........................................................	92	88	94	NA
Cut ....................................................................	20	11	NA	NA
Onions
Harvested ..........................................................	10	4	8	6
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	4	--	NA	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Harvested ..........................................................	12	7	12	12
Sorghum
Headed ..............................................................	85	76	77	71
Turning color ....................................................	17	10	15	23
Spring wheat
Turning color ....................................................	90	76	94	89
Harvested ..........................................................	42	13	11	24
DAYS SUITABLE FOR FIELDWORK AND SOIL MOISTURE CONDITION
	Current week	Previous week	Previous year	5-year average
Days suitable for fieldwork ....................................	6.3	6.5	5.9	6.1
Topsoil moisture	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)	(percent)
Very short .........................................................	11	12	3	8
Short .................................................................	24	30	18	26
Adequate ..........................................................	62	54	75	63
Surplus..............................................................	3	4	4	3
Subsoil moisture
Very short .........................................................	17	18	3	13
Short .................................................................	25	25	19	26
Adequate ..........................................................	56	53	76	60
Surplus..............................................................	2	4	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 ..........................................................	8	8	4	4
Poor ...................................................................	15	17	14	8
Fair ....................................................................	26	30	26	25
Good .................................................................	42	37	47	51
Excellent ...........................................................	9	8	9	12
Barley
Very poor ..........................................................	1	--	1	1
Poor ...................................................................	1	--	11	4
Fair ....................................................................	27	34	34	24
Good .................................................................	52	47	47	51
Excellent ...........................................................	19	19	7	20
Corn
Very poor ..........................................................	3	3	--	3
Poor ...................................................................	16	8	3	5
Fair ....................................................................	24	26	16	21
Good .................................................................	50	58	71	59
Excellent ...........................................................	7	5	10	12
Dry edible beans
Very poor ..........................................................	12	11	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	22	19	3	3
Fair ....................................................................	32	17	22	30
Good .................................................................	28	47	74	59
Excellent ...........................................................	6	6	1	7
Onions
Very poor ..........................................................	3	4	--	1
Poor ...................................................................	2	5	2	4
Fair ....................................................................	18	32	34	19
Good .................................................................	67	52	48	62
Excellent ...........................................................	10	7	16	14
Pasture and range
Very poor ..........................................................	28	30	1	6
Poor ...................................................................	24	29	11	15
Fair ....................................................................	27	24	22	27
Good .................................................................	19	15	54	44
Excellent ...........................................................	2	2	12	8
Potatoes inside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	--	--	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	4	5	11	NA
Fair ....................................................................	9	16	16	NA
Good .................................................................	66	53	55	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	21	26	18	NA
Potatoes outside San Luis Valley
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	--	NA
Poor ...................................................................	3	3	--	NA
Fair ....................................................................	13	13	3	NA
Good .................................................................	59	59	90	NA
Excellent ...........................................................	23	23	7	NA
Sorghum
Very poor ..........................................................	4	9	3	5
Poor ...................................................................	17	13	4	11
Fair ....................................................................	31	23	13	30
Good .................................................................	46	53	74	51
Excellent ...........................................................	2	2	6	3
Spring wheat
Very poor ..........................................................	9	15	--	3
Poor ...................................................................	2	7	7	5
Fair ....................................................................	18	14	28	29
Good .................................................................	61	56	61	58
Excellent ...........................................................	10	8	4	5
Sugarbeets
Very poor ..........................................................	1	2	--	--
Poor ...................................................................	3	5	--	2
Fair ....................................................................	25	18	5	13
Good .................................................................	49	53	81	71
Excellent ...........................................................	22	22	14	14
Sunflowers
Very poor ..........................................................	1	2	2	4
Poor ...................................................................	6	4	2	9
Fair ....................................................................	28	25	14	27
Good .................................................................	61	61	77	53
Excellent ...........................................................	4	8	5	7
Livestock
Very poor ..........................................................	2	2	--	--
Poor ...................................................................	3	3	4	2
Fair ....................................................................	21	21	14	17
Good .................................................................	63	66	74	71
Excellent ...........................................................	11	8	8	10