Wet weather slows soybean harvest

Wet weather conditions are making it hard for Minnesota farmers to have a good harvest this year.

The latest U.S. Agriculture report shows that farmers are behind in harvesting soybeans and corn.

According to the Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson, soybeans need ideal conditions for harvesting that includes dry ground and low humidity.

"The problem is that the excess moisture makes the bean expand in the pod and then it can push open and fall out," Hugoson said in an interview with MPR News.

Soybeans are 56 percent harvested compared to 96 percent last year, the latest Crop Progress & Condition Report stated.

With the use of technology and machinery it may be possible to salvage some of the wet corn but it will not be a swift process, Hugoson said.

"The moisture content itself is higher than it needs to be for proper storage which means it will have to go through the dryer, which moves very slow."

Hugoson, who farms 600 acres of corn and soybeans in Martin County, says he still has a long way to complete his harvest.

"So I am sort of stuck with the rest of the folks, in terms of having some anxiety, some frustration, and certainly some concern," Hugoson said.