Despite progress, Minnesota farmers still behind in planting crops

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Ag experts say the planting progress has improved in some areas.

Frequent rainfall from late April through most of May led to serious planting delays across the region.

The USDA report from May 31 showed that the largest planting progress deficits of soybeans were in North Dakota and Minnesota

Minnesota at 55 percent, compared to the five-year average of 80 percent.

Minnesota is also one of the two states with the slowest corn planting this year, with 82% planted compared to the normal 92 percent.

But with favorable weather conditions during the last week of May and the first few days of June farmers are making significant planting progress always mindful of the calendar.

”Farmers that aren’t finished planning yet in those areas are going to have difficult decisions to make or are making right now, and will continue into June,” said Kent Thiesse, farm management analyst at MinnStar Bank. “How late do they plant versus collecting the crop insurance indemnity for preventing planning.”

For soybeans, the final planting date is Friday, June 10, in Minnesota, but because of the late planting period extending 25 days, farmers will have until July 5.

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