News

Rain slowing harvest and causing concerns in Minnesota

Persistent rain is slowing harvest in Minnesota, especially in central and southern parts of the state.

The latest crop report from USDA says there were only three days suitable for fieldwork a week ago, with consistently wet conditions raising concerns about mold and stalk problems.

When able, farmers continued harvesting silage, sugar beets, potatoes and dry edible beans.

The first 13 percent of Minnesota’s soybean acres have been combined, three days behind average and five days behind last year.

Shayne Isane farms near Badger in northwest Minnesota and says he’s about three-quarters done harvesting soybeans.

“We did receive about an inch of rain over the weekend, which is going to slow us down a little bit.  But we have a fairly decent forecast this week and we’re hoping to finish soybeans and move into sunflowers.”

Sunflower harvest is slightly ahead of normal statewide, with 10 percent of the acreage out as of Sunday.

And there were scattered reports of corn harvested for grain as 70 percent of that crop has reached maturity.