Crop Report

By Tom Hintgen (Contact) | The Daily Journal

Published Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Wet conditions limited fieldwork across much of Minnesota this past week, but the state’s corn and soybean crops have emerged, including those in Otter Tail County. Nonetheless, cold weather has slowed the growth of both corn and soybeans.

“The rainfall was needed, but now we need some really warm days and warm nights,” said Regional Extension Educator Doug Holen. “The cold has especially slowed the growth of alfalfa which is two weeks behind schedule.”

Paul Dubbels, seed manager for New Horizons Ag west of the Fergus Falls Municipal Airport, said the wet weather in recent days prevented farmers from getting into the fields and working on weed control. Like Holen, he also hopes for warmer temperatures for the benefit of area farmers.

In its weekly crop weather report for the state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said crop conditions were rated mostly good to excellent in spite of heavy rains during the past week.

As of Sunday, corn emergence was 94 percent complete, compared to 99 percent last year and 97 percent for the five-year average. Soybeans were 95 percent planted, compared to 99 percent last year and a 96 percent average. Soybeans were 71 percent emerged compared with 93 percent last year and a 77 percent average.

As of Friday, 67 percent of the field corn, 64 percent of soybeans, and 82 percent of spring wheat were rated in good or excellent condition. Seventy-nine percent of oats and barley, 54 percent of potatoes, 61 percent of sugarbeets, 65 percent of alfalfa and 67 percent of pasture were rated in good or excellent condition.

The average temperature for the week was 61.6 degrees, 1.4 degrees below normal. Statewide, topsoil moisture supplies as of Friday were rated zero percent very short, one percent short, 68 percent adequate and 31 percent surplus.

There were a statewide average of 2.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week.