Rains Slow Spring Planting In Minnesota

ST. PAUL  (AP) - Steady rains and cloudy skies continued to slow the spring planting for Minnesota farmers last week.

The weekly crop and weather report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture released Tuesday says farmers had only 2.7 days suitable for field work last week. Many fields are still wet with some ponding.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 55 percent adequate and 45 percent surplus, compared to 64 percent adequate and 35 percent surplus the previous week.

Both corn and soybean planting is behind last year and behind the five-year average.

The report says corn was 88 percent planted, compared to 100 percent last year and 98 percent for the five-year average.

Soybeans were 53 percent planted, compared to 93 percent last year and 89 percent for the five-year average.