Minnesota Ag Connection - Minnesota Farmers Have Fewest Fieldwork Days of Year

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Minnesota Farmers Have Fewest Fieldwork Days of Year
Minnesota Ag Connection - 08/22/2017

Widespread rainfall limited Minnesota farmers to only 2.6 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sunday, according to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. That was the fewest days suitable for fieldwork in any week since late May. Activities for the week included harvesting small grains and spraying crops in areas where possible.

Topsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 12 percent short, 70 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies rated 3 percent very short, 13 percent short, 75 percent adequate and 9 percent surplus.

Seventy-two percent of the corn crop was at or beyond the dough stage, 8 days behind last year. Thirteen percent of the corn reached the dent stage. Corn crop condition rated 82 percent good to excellent. Ninety-one percent of the soybean crop was setting pods, one day ahead of normal. Soybean condition remained at 74 percent good to excellent.

Forty-two percent of the spring wheat crop was harvested, 8 days behind average. Oat harvest for grain or seed advanced 17 percentage points to 64 percent complete, well behind last year's 83 percent. Eighty-one percent of the barley crop was harvested, 5 days ahead of average.

Ninety-two percent of the dry beans were setting pods or beyond, with 8 percent dropping leaves. Dry edible bean condition rated 73 percent good to excellent. Sunflower condition remained at 91 percent good to excellent. Potato harvest was 19 percent complete. Potato crop condition was rated 94 percent good to excellent. Sugarbeet condition rated 88 percent good to excellent.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 74 percent complete. Pasture condition rating improved to 58 percent good to excellent.

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