mn-crop-weather

State                                                                         
Minnesota Monthly Crop-Weather  

Released: February 2, 2009

Issue No: CW-05-09

COOPERATING WITH THE MN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE - 
CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE, 
USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS
 
The following comments are from Minnesotas County Extension Educators, FSA 
(USDA - Farm Service Agency), and NRCS (USDA - Natural Resources Conservation 
Service) Offices
 

BECKER:  January was extremely cold.  Snow cover 2.5-3.0 feet. Livestock 
conditions are ok to date.  Feed reserves seem to be sufficient.

BENTON:  Snow and cold continue to be challenging for people working with 
livestock.  Feed resources are adequate. 
  
BROWN:  A very cold January has put some pressure on feed supplies. Hay prices 
remain stable.  Lots of talk about land rent, including reports of some farmers 
hoping to renegotiate land rent contracts.

CROW WING:  We still have lots of snow, about 28 inches.  Feed availability 
looks good.  I think the soil moisture has recharged pretty well.  There is 
still 25-30 percent of the corn standing in the fields because of the late fall 
rains which kept farmers from harvesting and now the snows too deep.

FILLMORE:  Snow cover 1-2 feet with crust, except for ridge tops which have 
little cover.  Frost up to 5 feet where exposed.  Excellent soil moisture.  

HUBBARD:  We continue to maintain 12-18 inches of snow cover.  The frost depth 
is around 24-30 inches.  Feed availability and livestock condition continues to 
be good.  Moisture supply is excellent after last falls rain.  Most producers 
are starting to plan for spring planting by checking fertilizer and fuel prices. 

JACKSON:  Good snow cover on fields. The rest of January was cold and windy. 
Livestock are in good condition. Feed stocks are good, but usage of forage was 
higher than normal. Producers have been watching markets and fertilizer and seed 
prices.

LAC QUI PARLE:  For most of the month temperatures have been below average, with 
average snow depths ranging from 18 to 24 inches in the county. Livestock are 
doing well, but going through a lot of feed to make up for the colder than 
normal temperatures for the month.
 
LINCOLN: About 14 inches average snow depth.  Most of the snow is caught in the 
trees, drainage ditches, and road ditches.  With lots of snow and wind, the 
trees are a good testament for CRP.  Living snow fences in open areas this year.
  Lots of grain being delivered on contract or sold.  Colder than normal weather 
this winter has taken more feed for sheep and cattle.

MCLEOD:  We have open fields in most areas of the county and drifts of 25-30 
inches of snow in some places.  Frost depth is roughly 51 inches.  There seems 
to be adequate feed supplies. Some livestock operators have been complaining 
about the subzero temperatures and stated that their livestock are "barely 
putting on any weight".  We were getting a lot of snow in December and early 
January but it has been 2-3 weeks since our last significant snowfall. We had 
a warm up this past weekend which melted a lot of the snow so we now have a lot 
of ice and ponded areas in fields.
 						  
MAHNOMEN:  January was extremely cold.  Snow cover is 2.5-3.0 feet.  Feed is 
plentiful.  Cold winter has required higher energy.  Cattle are in good 
condition.  Concerns about how to handle the residue left in the fields.  
Producers are managing their grain bins as much of the crop was stored under 
less than ideal moisture levels.  Producers are signing contracts for specialty 
dry beans, non-GMO soybeans and also some of the commodity crops.  

MARSHALL:  Snow cover remains at 12 inches.  The temperatures have been below 
normal for most of the month.  The snow cover should prevent frost from going 
to abnormal depths.  Any moisture received will be surplus as the soil profile 
was saturated at freeze up.

MORRISON:  Approximately 20 inches of snow cover so the alfalfa should be well 
insulated from the bitter cold temperatures we have received in January.  Feed 
availability and livestock conditions seem to be quite good.  Most farmers 
continue to wait for fertilizer prices to drop before purchasing.  Most corn, 
soybean, and alfalfa seed has been purchased already to take advantage of the 
early order discounts.
  
NICOLLET:  Cold weather in January has added to livestock feed costs.  Concern 
about coming year and fluctuating crop and input prices.

NOBLES:  Much snow cover throughout the county. Activities consist of keeping 
yards clean and some solid manure spreading in fields with less snow cover that 
can be reached.

NORMAN:  Snow cover good.  Some combining of corn over the last month but snow 
depth and cold weather has limited that activity.  Some grain storage problems 
due to wet corn.  Went into the fall with excess moisture.  Colder than normal 
winter.  Producers are concerned about how to handle residue due to little 
fieldwork on the row crops.  

PENNINGTON: Plenty of snow and cold weather for January. Livestock and their 
feed supplies are suitable for now, but some concerns if the cold temperatures 
continue and if we have a late spring. Deep snow has added to problems with 
access for feeding livestock and also for livestock to move around.

PINE:  Good snow cover 15-20 inches.  Moisture should be good for 2009.  Frost 
12 inches.  Feed available but livestock just holding their own.  No gain due 
to cold weather.  Producer sign-up for 2009 program is slow. 

ROCK:  Feed OK.  Heard of some winter kill on alfalfa.  Moderate temperatures 
this week to above normal average.

ROSEAU:  After record snowfall in December, the month of January has produced 
temperatures well below normal.  The snow cover contains almost 3 inches of 
moisture.  This, together with the saturated soil conditions that we had when 
the ground froze last fall, has many concerned about the possibility of 
flooding this spring.  The harvesting of corn and sunflower fields that could 
not be completed last fall is progressing slowly.  

ST LOUIS:  Snow cover is 18-24 inches, the fluffy type.  No crusting yet.  
Feed availability and forages is great.  There is hay for sale.  Livestock 
conditions are fine.  Most everything is OK.  Calving will probably begin 
toward the end of February/March. 

WADENA:  Lots of snow, 2 feet on average.  Feed stocks seem to be holding out.
Very cold temperatures have been hard on livestock and producers.  A lot of 
producers are pre-buying fertilizer and seed.  

Thank you for your comments. 

PRECIPITATION AND TEMPERATURE SUMMARY FOR JANUARY, 2009:
Temperatures during December averaged from 5.8 degrees below normal in the 
Northwest District to 2.3 degrees below normal in the Southwest District.  
Temperature extremes included a low of -42 degrees at International Falls, and 
a high of 49 degrees at Forest Lake.  Precipitation averaged from 0.51 inch 
below normal in the East Central District to -.09 inch below normal in the 
Southwest District.  Greatest monthly precipitation of 1.13 inches was recorded 
in Marshall.

Precipitation and Temperature Summary for January 2009

                    Temperature       Precipitation
               High Low Month Dept.   Month  Dept.
                        Ave   for     Total  for
                              Month          Month
NW DIST 1
Crookston       44 -35  -2.8  -6.6     .12  -.42 
Moorhead        44 -30   1.8  -5.1     .61  -.15 
Warroad         40 -41  -4.8  -5.8     .52  -.11 
NC DIST 2 
Grand Rapids    47 -31   2.9  -3.6     .65  -.36 
Intl. Falls     42 -42  -3.4  -6.2     .86   .02 
Itasca          44 -38   -.9  -3.8     .62  -.28
NE DIST 3 
Duluth          42 -24   4.0  -4.4     .48  -.64 
Grand Marais    33 -18   9.8  -4.1     .68  -.04 
Hibbing         46 -40   -.9  -6.3     .40  -.39 
WC DIST 4 
Alexandria      44 -31   2.7  -5.3     .52  -.49 
Browns Valley   45 -32   5.3  -4.5     .61  -.23 
Canby           45 -23   9.4  -4.4    1.01   .13
Dalton          42 -33   1.5  -5.4     .58  -.41  
Fergus Falls    40 -34    .2  -6.2     .67  -.32 
Montevideo      45 -28   5.8  -4.2     .90  -.02 
Morris          42 -31   2.0  -6.4     .61  -.24 
CENT DIST 5 
Becker          46 -27   4.0  -5.6     .81  -.05 
Collegeville    45 -31   6.8  -4.3     .63  -.28 
Hutchinson      42 -27   7.5  -2.6     .45  -.32 
Melrose         43 -35    .7  -7.4     .49  -.39 
Olivia          43 -29   5.2  -4.9     .72   .14 
St. Cloud       45 -36   3.6  -5.3     .54  -.22 
Staples         45 -37   -.3  -6.6     .49  -.46 
Willmar         43 -28   4.6  -4.4     .68  -.14 
EC DIST 6 
Aitkin          46 -29   4.1  -3.0     .70  -.33 
Forest Lake     49 -26   6.6  -3.8     .48  -.50 
Hinckley        44 -36   -.2  -8.3     .41  -.62 
MSP Airport     46 -22   8.6  -4.6     .57  -.47 
St. Paul - UofM 46 -23  10.0  -4.8     .38  -.64
SW DIST 7 
Lamberton       46 -27   9.0  -3.2     .30  -.35 
Marshall        43 -27   9.6  -2.9    1.13   .31 
Pipestone       42 -34   8.2  -3.1     .51  -.04 
Redwood Falls   45 -25  10.0  -3.1     .56  -.14 
Worthington     42 -26   9.8  -1.7     .52  -.18
SC DIST 8 
Faribault       44 -29   6.8  -4.8     .79  -.26 
Mankato         47 -24   8.4  -4.2     .63  -.43 
Waseca          40 -26   6.6  -4.4     .64  -.73 
Winnebago       43 -29   8.9  -3.4     .81  -.06
SE DIST 9
Preston         41 -35   6.6  -6.1     .67  -.33 
Red Wing        46 -33   5.8  -6.2     .59  -.22 
Rochester       39 -26   8.7  -3.1     .67  -.27 
Rosemount       44 -28   5.6  -4.5     .72  -.50 
Winona          42 -32   6.8  -7.0     .72  -.22
m=some data missing

Contact Information
 USDA, NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE IN COOPERATION WITH THE NATIONAL
 WEATHER SERVICE- CHANHASSEN MN, UNIV. OF MINN. EXTENSION SERVICE, DNR
 STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE, USDA-FSA, AND USDA-NRCS

USDA-NASS MINNESOTA FIELD OFFICE
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
PO Box 7068, St. Paul, MN 55107
Phone: (651) 296-2230
E-mail: nass-mn@nass.usda.gov
Homepage: http://www.nass.usda.gov/mn/