Dryness a mounting concern in parts of Minnesota

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Dryness a mounting concern in parts of Minnesota

Increasingly dry conditions are a concern across the Midwest, including parts of Minnesota. 

University of Minnesota Extension crops educator Dave Nicolai says growing conditions have been variable across the state.

“If we go to the very eastern part of Minnesota, the seven (to) nine county Metro area (to) east-central Minnesota, it’s very dry. And in some of those lighter soils the corn has been wrapping, and I think it’s going to take a toll as far as yield if we don’t get some rain soon.”

Speaking to Brownfield at Minnesota Farmfest Tuesday, he says there are parts of Minnesota with good subsoil moisture.

“So that’s really the key to their survivability, and that looks good. But we’re going to be pulling and mining (that subsoil moisture) right now, so that’s a concern as we go from the month of August into September. And some of those long-range forecasts look more on the dry side.”

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