Some Minnesota farmers are on edge as drought conditions creep through the state
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About two-thirds of the state is experiencing abnormally dry conditions or some level of drought. In the southwestern part of the state, the drought-affected area is widening.
It’s a fact that concerns Assistant State Climatologist Pete Boulay. He says precipitation in those southwestern regions is falling behind what’s considered normal.
"It's not necessarily really a dry time of year,” Boulay said. “They got bare ground down there for a lot of places. It's early March. So, you know, something you've got to be concerned about if we don't get any more moisture."
Peter Bakken, a cattle rancher and an alfalfa, corn, and soybean farmer in Rock County, also worries about what the lack of moisture could mean for him, although the increasing dryness is beneficial for him right now. His cows are now giving birth to calves, and as he helps deliver them, the dry soil works in his favor.
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"When you're a little calf, you like to be warm and dry,” Bakken said. “Snow and mud do not lend to having those things happen."
Still, with planting season expected to start next month, Bakken is clinging to the hope that moisture will return.
"The thing I kind of hang my hat on a little bit is the fact that some people have said, ‘90 days after fog, you get rain,’” Bakken said. “And we've had a fair number of foggy days during the wintertime and whatnot."
Help may be on the way. Showers and a few thunderstorms will move from the southwest to the northern parts of the state, something state climatologist Boulay says could bring back much-needed moisture.
"That's a sign of spring, having that rumble of thunder out there,” Boulay said. “The first day of spring is March 20. So, you know, it's about that time we start to see a bit of a change."
Still, Boulay said that rain won't fully change the region's overall dryness. And Bakken, the farmer and rancher, said he wants to be prepared for an arid season. But he'll still plant as though the weather were favorable.
"My dad always says, ‘You know what you get if you leave the seed in the bag,’” Bakken said. “If you're planning for a drought, and you're going to cut your population way back or something to that effect, you're kind of planning for your own defeat."
Bakken said his seeds are engineered to be more drought-resistant, and he'll try to time applying fertilizer so his crops get the most nutrients.
But depending on how the weather turns out, he said his plans could change.
Correction (March 6, 2026): This story has been updated to reflect Pete Boulay's correct title of assistant state climatologist.
