Minnesota farmers finish corn, sunflower harvests

Minnesota farmers have wrapped up the corn and sunflower harvest.

In its final weekly crop-weather report for Minnesota this season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says corn was 98 percent harvested as of Sunday. That compares with 93 percent at this time last year and a five-year average of 73 percent.

Sunflowers are 99 percent harvested, compared with 97 percent last year and a 75 percent average.

Minnesota's prolonged warm, dry spell continues. The U.S. Drought Monitor says northeast parts of the state and most of southern Minnesota are in moderate to severe drought.

Topsoil moisture is rated 28 percent very short, 43 percent short and 29 percent adequate, down from the previous week.

Forty percent of pasture and range conditions are rated poor or very poor.

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