Minnesota corn and soybean harvests were solid but far from record-breaking in 2014, according to the latest USDA estimates released Thursday.
The corn crop was 1.18 billion bushels, the seventh largest on record and the lowest since 2008.
Producers harvested 305 million bushels of soybeans in 2014, the fifth largest on record.
A cool and very wet spring hindered planting and emergence of both crops, the report said, and plant development was slow despite general favorable weather conditions through most of the growing season. Crops generally ripened later than normal and harvest was also later than usual, the report noted.
The average corn yield across the state was 156 bushels per acre, compared to the record high yield of 177 set in 2010. The top five corn-producing counties in 2014 were Redwood, Mower, Martin, Renville and Faribault.
For soybeans, the average yield was 42 bushels per acre, identical to the 2013 crop. The highest producing counties were Polk, Redwood, Renville and Lac Qui Parle.
Food Market brings news, talk and insight into the food business, from farms to supermarkets to restaurants. Reporters Mike Hughlett and Tom Meersman delve into the work of Minnesota’s food companies and issues such as food safety and labeling.
