May 18, 2010

Steady rains and cool weather over Minnesota last week slowed planting but restored needed soil moisture for emerging crops.

In its weekly crop weather report for the state, the USDA said topsoil moisture supplies were rated 94% adequate to surplus as of Sunday (May 16), compared with 84% a week earlier.

Precipitation averaged a half-inch above normal state-wide.

Above-average temperatures returned Friday (May 14), allowing fields to dry and some field work to resume. However, producers said their crops need more warm temperatures to recover from a nearly two-week spell of wet, cool weather. Only 1.4 days were rated suitable for fieldwork.

Soy advanced to 47% planted, compared with 49% last year and 38% for the five-year average.