Weekly crop report

Cool, wet weather limited harvest progress again last week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Minnesota Field Office.

Statewide, 1.9 days were suitable for fieldwork. Since Oct. 5, on average, less than 2 days have been rated suitable for fieldwork per week, statewide. Farmers harvesting corn and soybeans reported wet fields and high grain moisture levels.

Soybeans were 44 percent harvested compared to 91 percent last year and the five-year average of 93 percent. The statewide average grain moisture of soybeans being harvested was 16 percent. Corn harvest advanced 3 percentage-points to 6 percent harvested, 22 points behind last year and 42 points behind average.

Sugarbeets were 71 percent harvested, 16 points behind last year's pace and 22 points behind average. Dry bean harvest advanced 1 point to 88 percent harvested, while reporters noted little to no sunflower harvest activity leaving progress at 20 percent harvested,
unchanged from a week ago.

Crop condition ratings declined last week. Soybeans rated good to excellent fell 4 points to 63 percent while corn fell 3 points to 70 percent good to excellent. Sunflowers were rated 54 percent good to excellent down from 55 percent a week ago.

Average temperatures were below normal at nearly all reporting stations. On Monday, temperatures were warmer with daytime highs ranging from the low 50s to low 60s. However, clouds and rain held high temperatures in the 30s and 40s for many locations the remainder of the week. A large area of rain spread over central and southern Minnesota Tuesday night and continued into Wednesday. More snow fell across parts of east central and southeastern Minnesota on Friday. Soil moisture supplies were rated 54 percent adequate and 41 percent surplus. Just 2 percent of the state's topsoil moisture
supply was rated surplus on September 27.