Dry Weather Helping Minnesota Farmers With Spring Planting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota farmers are taking advantage of good weather to catch up on their spring planting.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that 3.9 days were suitable for fieldwork across Minnesota last week, and that allowed for significant progress on planting that had been delayed by rainy weather.

Minnesota's corn crop was 35 percent planted as of Sunday. Although that's almost triple the 12 percent planted as of a week earlier, it's still 16 days behind last year and eight days behind average. University of Minnesota Extension says corn farmers can still achieve maximum yields if they plant by mid-May.

The state's spring wheat crop is 65 percent planted, which is six days ahead of average.

The forecast calls for mostly dry weather across Minnesota this week.