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Harvest nears finish line

Photo: Stockbyte, Photos.com

Oct 23, 2012 at 6:21 am

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KNSI) 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 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.