MN Corn Crop grows 11 inches in past week

(From Internet reports)

On Sunday the average corn plant height in Minnesota was 27 inches, according to the latest USDA crop weather report. That’s a gain of eleven inches from last week’s average height of 16 inches. And just two inches behind the five-year average.

“Warm weather and timely rains promoted crop progress across much of the state,” according to the June 29 Minnesota Ag News Crop Weather report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA)--Minnesota Field Office. The report continues, “Crop growth and condition generally improved last week as high heat and humidity marked the first full week of summer. Daytime highs, early in the week, climbed into the mid 80s to low 90s across central and southern Minnesota. The warm, moist air sparked scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some stronger storms in the central and south dropped hail in localized areas. There were 5.0 days suitable for fieldwork during the week.”

The corn crop rating soared to 82 percent good or excellent—a tie for highest rating with Nebraska. The prevalent use of irrigation in Nebraska ensures a high number, compared to Minnesota where producers face a higher risk of drought. The crop is in great shape across the 18 major corn producing states, earning an average rating of 72 percent good or excellent.

The band of drought-stressed acres in Minnesota’s central tier has diminished thanks to rain in some areas. Topsoil moisture is short in 22 percent of Minnesota, while it is adequate in 68 percent of the state and surplus across ten percent—the surpluses are in the northwest corner of the state as well as parts of Clay, Becker and Otter Tail Counties in the upper Red River Valley.

Click here to view the full report.