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Planting limited to mostly small grains in Minnesota

Planting has been limited to mostly small grains so far in Minnesota.

Benson farmer Scott Lee grows corn, soybeans, oats, and spring wheat in the west-central part of the state.

He says moisture continues to slow progress.

“What started out looking like an early spring has turned into something quite different.  Most guys that normally plant wheat are either wrapping up or done by this time of the year, were just actually getting going.”

The latest USDA crop progress report shows spring wheat planting lags a week behind normal in Minnesota.

Lee tells Brownfield most of his seed wheat acres are in.

“When we started a little over a week ago, the ground seemed to really work nice.  But it seemed like as the day went on, there was frost coming up.  And we’ve planted wheat on frost before and it isn’t a concern with small grains, but it’s probably the most frost I’ve ever planted on in my 28 years of doing this.”

Nationally, 13 percent of spring wheat acres have been planted, compared to the five-year average of 21 percent.