'Like clockwork' rains hamper crop

Too much of anything, even normally beneficial summer rain, isn't a good thing. Justin Dagen, a Karlstad, Minn., farmer is experiencing that firsthand this summer.

Each week, for the past five weeks, the northwest Minnesota farmer has received about 3 inches. An inch of rain weekly would be ideal.

"It's been like clockwork. Every week, 3 inches of rain" — more-than-desired amounts that have damaged some of his crops, Dagen said.

Crop conditions are mixed across the rest of the region. according to the weekly crop progress report released July 20 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The report reflected conditions on July 19,

Crops generally look good in Minnesota and Iowa, pretty good in South Dakota and Montana and not so good in most of North Dakota, according to the report.

An exceptionally wet fall in 2019 hammered North Dakota's harvest then. That delayed and complicated planting in the state this spring, hampering 2020 crops

A few examples of the disparity among states.

Montana's spring wheat crop is rated 79% good or excellent, compared to 62% of North Dakota's with that rating.

And 69% of North Dakota's corn crop is rated good or excellent, compared with 83% for Minnesota, 80% for Iowa and 84% for South Dakota.

But the statewide averages can mask major variations in crop conditions within the same state, same county and even on the same farm. That's true for Dagen, who said crop conditions on his farm are mixed.

Dagen, who farms with two sons, said he's told them this crop season reminds him of 1985 and 1993, when excess moisture hurt crops. Fortunately, some of the family's fields have been tiled since then, improving drainage and lessening damage to growing crops. Most of the family's potato crop is on tiled fields, helping the outlook for that crop.

The Dagens raise a number of crops, including sugar beets, dry edible beans, corn, spring wheat and winter wheat. The dry beans appear to have been hurt the most, with corn holding up relatively well so far.

Most of his fields have enough moisture to carry them through harvest without additional rainfall, Dagen said.

A break from the rain would be especially helpful for wheat, harvest of which can begin shortly if the weather cooperates, he said.

"As I said, the rains have been like clockwork. This is quite a summer," he said.

Here's a closer look at conditions for wheat, corn and soybeans, the region's three major crops.

Montana — 79% is rated good or excellent, 18% fair and 3% poor or very poor.

Minnesota — 73% is in good or excellent shape, 20% fair and and 7% fair or very poor.

North Dakota — 62% is rated good or excellent, 30% fair and 8% fair or very poor.

South Dakota — 63% is in good or excellent condition, 28% fair and 9% fair or very poor.

Iowa — 80% is rated good or excellent, 26% fair and 4% poor or very poor.

Minnesota — 83% is in good or excellent shape, 14% fair and 3% poor or very poor.

North Dakota — 69% is in good or excellent condition, 26% fair and 5% poor or very poor.

South Dakota — 84% is rated good or excellent, 13% fair and 3% poor or very poor.

Minnesota — 80% is in good or excellent condition, 16% fair and 4% poor or very poor.

North Dakota — 68% is rated good or excellent, 27% fair and 5% poor or very poor.

South Dakota — 81% is in good or excellent condition, 16% fair and 3% poor or very poor.

Iowa — 79% is rated good or excellent, 17% fair and 4% poor or very poor.