Crop Progress and Condition for the Week Ending July 6, 2014.
Minnesota farmers had 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 6, 2014, the most in nearly a month, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Drier field conditions allowed many farmers to catch-up with herbicide and fertilizer spraying. First cutting of alfalfa hay made progress as conditions allowed, but still remains behind the five year average. Some farmers replanted corn and soybeans in areas that drowned out earlier.
Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 70 percent adequate, and 30 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supplies were rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 67 percent adequate, and 32 percent surplus.
Nearly all of the corn crop has emerged with 64 percent in good to excellent condition. Limited reports of corn silking were received from respondents in the southern half of Minnesota. Thirteen percent of the soybean crop is blooming, 5 points behind the average. Soybean conditions rated 61 percent in good to excellent condition.
Thirty-six percent of the Spring wheat crop was heading, 11 days behind normal, with 50 percent of the crop in good to excellent condition. Forty-three percent of the barley crop was heading, and 46 percent was in good to excellent condition. Potato conditions were rated 78 percent good to excellent. Sixty-one percent of the oat crop was heading, with 66 percent rated good to excellent.
The first condition rating of the year for dry edible beans came in at 1 percent very poor, 11 percent poor, 38 percent fair, 46 percent good, and 4 percent excellent. Sugar beet conditions rated 20 percent good to excellent.
The first and second cuttings of alfalfa hay were 86 and 17 percent complete respectively. All hay conditions rated 1 percent very poor, 4 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 50 percent good, and 9 percent excellent. Pasture conditions were rated 1 percent very poor, 3 percent poor, 16 percent fair, 60 percent good, and 20 percent excellent.
