The Crop Condition Index (CCI), is calculated to track the condition of a specific crop from week to week during the growing season.  It is based on the crop condition ratings reported each week in USDA’s Crop Progress Report.  South Dakota’s office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) surveys Extension Educators and others each week to determine crop progress and crop condition during the growing season.  Information from this weekly survey is released each Monday afternoon.

Cash prices are separated by region and a simple cash average price is then calculated for each specific region. The basis is calculated by subtracting the closing futures price of the nearby futures contract from the average cash price of grain in each of the six regions.

SDSU Extension publishes the South Dakota Pest & Crop Newsletter each week to provide growers, producers, crop consultants, and others involved in crop production with timely news pertinent to management of pests, diseases, and weeds in South Dakota.

Many South Dakota farms and ranches are facing the tough management challenge of transitioning the business to the next generation. Part of this management challenge is finding sufficient funding. A natural conflict arises between the need for short term liquidity and long term capital to provide for growth. There is the need for cash to meet current business needs, provide personal security in retirement, return to ownership, provide for the needs of a growing family, and finance a business transition. It is no wonder that many businesses find managing the transition as one of the toughest management challenges they face.

The early onset of spring this year set off a round of tornadoes in the Upper Midwest, causing significant damage and injuries in Illinois, Michigan, and the surrounding areas.  More recently, a weekend of severe weather brought tornadoes that went through Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and other neighboring states.

One of the biggest questions as spring corn planting happens, is how many acres will be planted to corn and soybeans.  The old soybean-corn ratio is giving different signals than earlier this year with both the new crop soybean-corn futures markets price spread and the net returns per acre comparisons in South Dakota.

Although it sounds cliché, lightning can strike during any season of the year.  It can be a significant hazard, both out in the open and near your home or office.  The highest danger is when you are exposed with very little protection, as when you are out in the field.

Precipitation over the last week has helped the potential planting situation adding moisture to some very dry surface soils and deeper soils in the places with heavier rainfall.  The rainfall has also slowed planting progress because of wet conditions, but also because of cooler soil temperatures.