Northeastern ND farmers taken aback by rainfall

Jared Hagert has experienced many things in his farming career. But even the veteran Emerado, N.D., farmer was taken aback by the whopping 11 inches of rain that fell in two separate storms during a single 24-hour period in early July.

"I've never seen anything like this," he said of the deluge that had some fields in his area of Grand Forks County in northeast North Dakota looking like tiny lakes and that caused massive damage in places. Though the Emerado area was especially hard hit, other parts of the county received 3 to 10 inches from the same storms.

Widespread rains in early July were both a blessing and a curse to Upper Midwest farmers. But on balance, area crops are faring well overall, according to the updated weekly crop progress report released July 6 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The report reflected conditions on July 5.

Crops in Minnesota and Iowa, most of which were planted on schedule this spring, continue to look particularly good. For example, 85 % of Iowa corn and 85% of Minnesota corn were in good or excellent shape on July 5.

South Dakota and Montana crops generally look good, too. For example. 82% of Montana spring wheat and 82% percent of South Dakota corn were rated good or excellent on July 5.

But crops in North Dakota continue to struggle overall, reflecting uncooperative weather last fall and this spring that hampered planting of 2020 crops. For example, 61% of North Dakota spring wheat was in good or excellent shape on July 5.

Farmers in Grand Forks County, in northeast North Dakota and sharing the same name as the county's largest city, generally weren't short of moisture. To put the 11-inch deluge in perspective: Hagert said he was hoping for 11 inches total during the remainder of the 2020 growing season.

The first heavy rainstorm brought about 5 1/2 inches, soon followed by another burst of 5 1/2 inches. swelling the total to 11 inches, Hagert said.

"There's 100% drown-out in some fields, 5% in some," with the drown-out rate in others falling between those two extremes, he said.

Grand Forks County farmers raise many crops, but corn and soybeans are most common. Many fields were planted later than usual this spring, which puts less-advanced-than-normal crops at even greater risk of drown-out. Some of the area hammered by the June 30-July 1 deluge subsequently received more rain, further aggravating wet fields and drown-out.

Roads and other infrastructure in hard-hit rural areas have suffered along with crops, Hagert said.

Here's a closer look at how spring wheat, corn and soybeans, the region's three major crops, were faring as of July 5. Remember, statewide averages can mask big differences in crop conditions across a state.

Montana — 82% was rated good or excellent, 15% fair and 3% percent poor or very poor.

Minnesota — 77% was in good or excellent shape, 17% fair and 6% poor or very poor.

North Dakota — 61% was rated good or excellent, 30% fair and 9% poor or very poor.

South Dakota — 68% was in or good or excellent condition, 25% fair and 7% poor or very poor.

Iowa — 84% was rated good or excellent, 14% fair and 2% poor or very poor.

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

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

South Dakota — 80% was rated good or excellent, 17% fair and 3% fair or very poor.

Minnesota — 85% was rated good or excellent, 12% fair and 3% poor or very poor.

North Dakota — 72% was rated good or excellent 23% fair and 5% poor or very poor.

South Dakota — 82% was in good or excellent condition, 15% fair and 3% poor or very poor.

Iowa — 85% was in good or excellent condition, 13% fair and 2% poor or very poor.