Minnesota Farmers Start Spring Planting Well Behind Schedule

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota farmers are finally getting a start on spring planting after the coldest, snowiest April on record for much of the state.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that Minnesota farmers have planted 2 percent of the spring wheat crop, 3 percent of the oat crop, 1 percent of the barley crop, 2 percent of the potato crop and 10 percent of the sugarbeet crop. That's not much, but it's the first time this season the agency's weekly crop progress report for the state has recorded any planting.

Small grain, potato and sugarbeet planting remain well behind the normal pace.

Corn and soybean planting have yet to get going, but that's likely to change quickly. Minnesota farmers try to get their corn planted by mid-May for the best yields.