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North Dakota: Farmers planting drier cropland
By Jeff Zent, The Forum
May 15, 2001
 
If any of their cropland was dry Monday, area farmers were planting it.

Anxious to make up time lost to recent rains, farmers scurried across fields in tractors with planters in tow.

Warm weather and wind have helped dry fields, yet farmers are still working around wet cropland.

"Were just now getting a good start," said Dan Wiltse who farms near Lisbon, N.D.

"Were going, but you have to skip around to find the driest fields," he said.

Delayed by rain, Wiltse has planted about 300 acres of spring wheat. Last year at this time, the Ransom County farmer finished planting wheat on 1,200 acres, he said.

About 20 percent of his cropland will be too wet for planting this year more if additional rain falls during planting season, he said.

"We should be used to it by now with all the wet weather weve had the last several years," Wiltse said.

"Were scratching our heads," he said. "It has made things very difficult."

Area farmers may stick to their original planting intentions if they get a week of ideal weather, Cass County Extension Agent John Kringler said.

More rain, however, would likely force them to plant fewer acres of cool-season crops. Farmers would then likely substitute wheat, sugar beets and corn for crops like soybeans that better tolerate the summer heat, Kringler said.

Muddy fields have drastically slowed sugar beet plantings in North Dakota and Minnesota.

Sugar beet growers for American Crystal Sugar Co. have planted about 25 percent of this years crop. The companys shareholders have traditionally planted 75 percent of the crop by this time, company spokesman Jeff Schweitzer said.

"We certainly would like to see a lot more progress than we have to date, but if were able to get a good week this week, I think we could see a lot of positive movement in our planted acres," he said.

Despite the slow planting progress, American Crystal has not reduced its intention to plant 498,500 acres of sugar beets, Schweitzer said.

Given favorable weather conditions, the companys shareholders can plant as much as 50,000 acres a day, he said.

"We still have some ground to make up, but our shareholders are seeing some fairly good planting conditions now," Schweitzer said.

North Dakota farmers have planted 36 percent of the states spring wheat crop, compared to 80 percent this time last year. On a five-year average, the states farmers typically plant 47 percent of the wheat crop by now, according to a weekly report issued by the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service.

About 31 percent of the states corn crop is planted, compared to 70 percent this time last year and a five-year average of 42 percent, the report shows.

In Minnesota, farmers have 29 percent of the states corn crop planted, compared to the five-year average of 81 percent, according to a weekly Minnesota Agricultural Statistics Service report.

About 26 percent of Minnesotas spring wheat crop is planted. Last year this time, 97 percent of the wheat crop was planted and on a five year average, the states farmers typically have 61 percent seeded now, the report shows.

"Theres really not much you can do but hope for the best and plant where you can when you can," Wiltse said.