Rain Puts Damper On Fieldwork Across Most Of Minn.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Wet weather put a damper on fieldwork across most of Minnesota last week. And while the rain was welcome in dry parts of northwestern Minnesota, it saturated fields in the southwest.

In its weekly crop weather report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that rainfall ranged from nearly a half inch in Canby in western Minnesota to 5.59 inches in Aitkin in east-central Minnesota. Topsoil moisture was rated 2 percent very short, 9 percent short, 68 percent adequate and 21 percent surplus. Statewide, 3.4 days were suitable for fieldwork.

Corn is 94 percent emerged, and 84 percent of the crop is in good or excellent condition. Soybeans advanced to 94 percent planted and 41 percent emerged.

Progress for other crops is also running ahead of their averages.

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