Rain limits fieldwork late in week (Minnesota)

Good harvest progress was made early in the week ending Oct. 28, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Upper Midwest Regional Field Office, Minnesota. Rain and damp weather limited field activity late in the week. There were 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Field activities for the week included harvesting corn, soybeans, potatoes, sunflowers and sugarbeets. Some reports of manure application, fall tillage and corn stalk chopping and baling were also received.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 72 percent adequate and 27 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 1 percent very short, 5 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 26 percent surplus.

Corn harvested for grain was 58 percent complete, one week ahead of last year but equal to the 5-year average. Corn moisture content of grain at harvest averaged 19 percent, down 1 percentage point from last week. Eighty-seven percent of the soybean crop was harvested, 4 days behind last year and one week behind average.

Sunflower harvest was 58 percent complete, 5 days behind average. Potato harvest was nearing completion at 96 percent complete. Sugarbeet harvest was 92 percent complete, 3 days behind average.