Minnesota Farmers Make Rapid Progress During Warm, Dry Week

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Warm, dry weather across Minnesota last week let farmers get caught up on their planting — and then some.

After a slow, wet start to the planting season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that 6.3 days were suitable for fieldwork last week. That let Minnesota farmers make rapid progress, planting nearly half the state's corn crop during the week, 43 percent of its soybeans and 28 percent of its spring wheat.

The progress means planting is ahead of the five-year average for most major Minnesota crops. Eighty-four percent of the state's corn crop is now planted, 46 percent of its soybeans and 93 percent of its spring wheat.

The break in the weather was important because the current forecast calls for a wet week for much of Minnesota.