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A patchwork quilt of field conditions in northern MN

A technical agronomist with Channel Seed says corn and soybean conditions vary in northern Minnesota, based on when the crops were planted.

“It’s like a quilt this year when it comes to the stages of corn and soybeans.”

Derek Crompton tells Brownfield “the corn that went in around Mother’s Day is actually shoulder high, where it could get some heat units and be around some relatively dry conditions. And then, there was late planted stuff, there’s a lot of V3 to V4 planted across the countryside, because farmers wanted to get a crop in the ground. Some farmers planted corn beyond June 10.”

He says early April soybeans have pods forming and some soybeans were planted last week due to the wet, cool conditions.

“We’re looking at an average crop, at best, on the fourth of July.”

He says the wet conditions are expected to bring some diseases and pests, including soybean aphids.