Minnesota Fall Harvest Runs Ahead of Last Year’s Pace

ST. PAUL (AP) — Minnesota's fall harvest is running well ahead of last year's pace for most crops.

In its weekly crop progress and condition report for Minnesota, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Monday that farmers took advantage of dry weather last week. The harvest advanced for dry beans, corn for silage, potatoes, and sugarbeets, and harvesting has now begun for corn for grain and soybeans.

Fifty percent of potatoes and 77 percent of dry beans have been harvested.

Fifteen percent of the sugarbeet crop has been lifted, the fastest pace in the last 50 years.

Sixty-seven percent of the corn for silage has been harvested, and 12 percent of the soybean crop has been harvested.

The third cutting of alfalfa hay is 95 percent complete, over two weeks ahead of last year.