Warm, dry weather helped small grain and row crop development advance this past week, according to the Minnesota Field Office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The majority of the state's spring wheat crop has now reached the jointing stage with one quarter reaching the heading stage. Producers were nearly able to finish planting sweet corn, and a significant percentage of first cutting alfalfa was completed by weeks end.

The average temperature for the week was 67.9 degrees, 0.3 degrees above normal. Statewide topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday, June 27 were 1 percent very short, 13 short, 81 adequate, and 5 surplus. Statewide, on average, there were 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork during the week.

Field Crops Summary
As of Sunday, June 29, the average corn height was estimated at 20 inches compared to 50 inches last year and 33 inches for the 5-year average. The average height of soybeans was 6 inches compared to 12 inches last year and 9 inches for the 5-year average.

Spring wheat was 25 percent headed compared to 77 last year and 59 average. Oats were 35 percent headed compared to 86 last year and 67 average. Barley was 21 percent headed compared to 79 last year and 57 average.

The first cutting of alfalfa reached 87 percent complete compared to 95 percent last year and 91 percent average.

As of Friday, June 27, 71 percent of corn and 68 percent of soybeans were rated in good or excellent condition.

Seventy-nine percent of spring wheat, 82 percent of oats, and 77 percent of barley were rated in good or excellent condition.

Days Suitable for Fieldwork Table
Days Suitable for Fieldwork: 6.2

Soil Moisture Table
Very Short Short Adequate Surplus
Topsoil Moisture (%) 1 13 81 5

Crop Progress Table
Crop Progress as of June 29, 2008
Stage of This Last Last 5 Yr
Crop Development Week Week Year Avg
Percent
Corn Height (inches) 20 11 50 33
Soybeans Height (inches) 6 4 12 9
Spring Wheat Jointing 82 50 97 90
Heading 25 6 77 59
Oats Jointing 84 65 98 94
Heading 35 16 86 67
Barley Jointing 77 55 94 86
Heading 21 7 79 57
Sweet Corn Planted 93 82 99 96
Alfalfa First Cutting 87 61 95 91

Crop Condition Table
Crop Condition as of June 27, 2008 in %
Very Poor Poor Fair Good Exc
Corn 2 4 23 58 13
Soybeans 1 4 27 58 10
Spring Wheat 1 1 19 66 13
Oats 1 1 16 67 15
Barley 1 1 21 61 16
Potatoes 0 3 19 61 17
Green Peas 1 3 26 59 11
Sugarbeets 1 1 27 66 5
Dry Beans 0 6 41 48 5
Sunflowers 0 6 32 51 11
Canola 0 11 30 51 8
Alfalfa 1 1 24 60 14
Pasture 0 3 25 59 13

Weather Information Table
Precipitation and Temperature Summary for 6/23/2008 through 6/29/2008

Temperature Precipitation G D D
High Low Week Depart Week Depart From Norm Since Depart
Ave from Total Past Four Since May from
Norm Week Weeks 4/1 14 Norm

CENT DIST 5
Becker 88 52 70.7 3.3 .84 -.22 -1.33 2.12 635 -17
Collegeville 88 55 71.8 2.1 1.10 .05 1.45 3.49 658 -88
Hutchinson 89 53 70.4 .2 .94 -.09 -.80 .60 668 -87
Olivia 87 52 68.9 -.9 .92 -.11 -.23 .85 639 -107
St. Cloud 88 50 69.6 2.2 .97 -.05 .14 1.50 615 -37
Staples 84 49 67.0 1.8 .91 -.08 1.31 1.25 491 -96
Willmar 89 56 70.4 .9 .66 -.52 -1.87 -.37 633 -98