News

Pests showing up in Minnesota fields

It was another mostly dry week across Minnesota.

USDA’s latest crop update says precipitation was limited to the northwest, which did slow down the harvest of small grains.

West-central Minnesota farmer Tom Frisch tells Brownfield insect populations are increasing.

“Aphids and spider mites are just starting to show up.”

Corn development continues to pace faster than normal with eight percent denting.  Corn rated good to excellent dropped to 43 percent.

Soybeans are maturing more quickly than last year but are slightly behind the five-year average with more than 70 percent setting pods.  Forty-five percent of the crop is considered good to excellent.

Oats are 47 percent harvested, barley is at 16 percent, and 13 percent of the state’s spring wheat acres are harvested.

Potato harvest is beginning, 94 percent of sugarbeets are rated good to excellent, and the second cutting of alfalfa is 89 percent complete.