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Minnesota farmers keep pace on planting despite cold end to week

Minnesota corn farmers pushed through unseasonably cool weather to bring the planting pace on par with the five-year average.

The latest weekly crop report from USDA says 18 percent of the state’s intended corn acres are in, compared to 18 percent normally.  A week ago, just 3 percent was planted.

There were also reports of soybeans being planted in the southern part of the state, and dry edible beans in central Minnesota.

Southeast Minnesota farmer Ben Storm tells Brownfield he’s about half done with corn and soybeans.

“We didn’t get started as early as some. I was a little leery with the cold weather we had the last few days. There were guys planting around here last week (but) we didn’t start until Thursday.”

Storm farms near Dover and says he could be done planting by the end of this week.

For small grains, spring wheat is 19 percent planted, four days ahead of normal.  Oat planting is 42 percent complete, a week ahead of average.  Barley is pacing a little faster than normal at 12 percent done.

Sugarbeet planting is nearly 30 percent complete, while potato planting lags behind average at 12 percent complete.