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Minnesota farmers see variable soybean yields

Farmers across southern Minnesota are seeing a lot of variability as soybean harvest wraps up.

Kevin Paap grows corn and soybeans in Blue Earth County.

“Our soybeans were variable.  Probably better than expected in a lot of places.  But there were places that disappointed because of disease or too much water at the wrong time of the year.”

Nobles County farmer Matt Widboom tells Brownfield it has been a challenging year.

“Maybe more of a surprise than disappointment when the bean harvest began of wider yield variability.  But you have to remember the growing season we experienced, which was damp and snowy to start.  And we had periods of dryness and warmth (but) never excessively hot.”

Widboom and Paap both attribute yield losses to cool and damp weather throughout August.

Going into this week, soybean harvest in Minnesota was 95 percent complete.

 

Kevin Paap audio:

Matt Widboom audio: