Minnesota farmers gaining ground on spring planting

NORTH MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - A report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that Minnesota is behind on grain planting, but is quickly making up ground.

Last week’s report said that Minnesota was 36% behind the yearly average.

On Monday, a new USDA report said that Minnesota is now only 7% behind schedule, with 72% of Minnesota’s grain being planted.

Planting was delayed this spring due to cold and rainy weather.

Agriculture experts said that it is still possible to reach ideal yield numbers, but it will depend on the summer weather.

”I think it’s going to take very good growing conditions in, you know, come July to get to that. I’d say it’s still possible, but to be above that trend line yield is going to be pretty difficult at this point,” said Kyle Leary, grain marketer at Crystal Valley co-op.

Kent Thiesse, a farm management analyst at MinnStar Bank, said that research from Land Grant Universities found that 90% of corn yield is planted between May 20 and 25.

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