Limited Corn Planting Begins In SW Minn.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Snow and cold continue to put field work on ice at farms across Minnesota.

In its weekly crop progress and condition report for the state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says it received reports of limited corn planting from southwestern Minnesota last week, as well as some planting of oats, spring wheat and barley. But other parts of Minnesota are still waiting for suitable conditions to begin planting.

Only 0.6 days were rated suitable for fieldwork statewide last week. Several locations reported new record low temperatures last Tuesday, including minus-4 in Lake of the Woods County, while last Wednesday brought widespread snow and new daily snowfall records to many parts of Minnesota.

Pastures have started to green up in southwestern Minnesota, but not enough to allow for grazing.

(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)