Cool weather slows MN crops

Cool weather continues to slow crop development in Minnesota.

In its weekly crop report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says crop development continues behind the five-year average pace.

Average temperatures ranged from 3 to 9 degrees below normal statewide. The Minnesota Climatology Office says July was the third coolest July in state history.

While the lack of extreme heat was good for maturing crops, especially in drier areas, the report says producers need warmer days for crop development.

Eighty percent of corn was at or beyond the silking stage. That's 5 percentage points ahead of last year but 10 points behind the five-year average. Thirty-three percent of this year's soybean crop was setting pods, compared with an average of 51 percent.

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