Minnesota Harvest Nearly Complete Despite Rain

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota's harvest is nearly complete despite rain that has cut into time available for fieldwork.

In its weekly crop weather report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that a statewide average of 5.0 days were suitable for fieldwork last week. Scattered showers were reported statewide last week, and 2.1 inches of rain were recorded at Wheaton in west-central Minnesota. The rain brought a modest improvement in topsoil moisture supplies, which are rated 41 percent very short, 40 percent short, 17 percent adequate, and 2 percent surplus.

As of Sunday, 96 percent of Minnesota's corn and sunflowers were harvested, well ahead of last year's pace and the five-year averages. Sugarbeets were 88 percent harvested, compared with 83 percent at this time last year and an 81 percent average.

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