Early planting starts in southern, central Minn.
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Some farmers already are planting in central and southern Minnesota, thanks to the mild, dry winter and record warmth in March.
In its first weekly crop-weather report for Minnesota this season, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers expect full-scale fieldwork to begin on April 12. That's seven days ahead of average.
Spring wheat was 3 percent planted as of Sunday, oats were 18 percent planted and barley was 6 percent planted. That compares with zero percent for those crops last year and for the five-year average.
Three percent of land was prepared for corn and 1 percent was prepared for soybeans.
Statewide average temperatures were 10 degrees above normal last week. Rain helped replenish some soil moisture, but the southern third of Minnesota continues to undergo a severe drought.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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