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Governor Walz expects variable crop in Minnesota

The governor of Minnesota anticipates a lot of variability when farmers in his state begin harvest.

Tim Walz tells Brownfield growing conditions have been good in some areas but too dry in others.

“It depends on who you talk to, and it can be literally a quarter mile away that we’ve got some crops that I think are going to come in good. I think especially corn in large parts of the state, we’re going to see some pullback on yields. Might be too early to tell on the beans, the rains can still help there.”

He says another round of extreme heat the first week of September won’t help.

“The temperatures look really hot. I certainly think much of the growth in corn is probably already done for those fields that were suffering from drought, but we’ve still got a good chance on the beans. So I think we keep an eye on it. And my message to everyone on this as Congress goes back in after their recess, pass a farm bill.”

The former House Agriculture Committee member says the safety nets in the farm bill not only protect farmers but also the nation’s food supply and consumers.