Dry, warm weather gave Minnesota farmers 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending May 28^th, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Fieldwork consisted of planting crops, spraying row crops and cutting hay.

Topsoil moisture supplies were rated 25% short to very short, 68% adequate and 7% surplus.

Corn planting reached 93% complete, 1 week ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of the 5 year average.  Corn emergence reached 69%.  Corn condition was 0% very poor, 2% poor, 18% fair, 68% good and 12% excellent.

Soybean planting was 86% complete, 2 weeks ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the 5 year average.  Soybean emergence reached 44%.

Very dry conditions and relatively warm weather meant Iowa farmers had 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork last week, according to the USDA.

Farmers were still planting some corn and soybeans.  However, farmers took advantage of the dry warm weather to cut a lot of hay.  Other field activities included spraying pesticides on emerging crops.

Topsoil moisture condition was rated 50% short to very short, 49% adequate and 1% surplus.

Planting is nearing completion, with 98% of Iowa’s corn crop planted, 8 days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the 5 year average.  Eighty-five percent of the corn crop has emerged, 1 week ahead of last year and the average.

Iowa’s first corn condition rating of the year was 2% poor, 21% fair and 77% good to excellent.

Ninety-four percent of Iowa’s expected soybean crop has been planted, just over a week ahead of last year and 15 days ahead of normal and 67% of soybeans have emerged, 8 days ahead of last year and the average.

Iowa’s first soybean condition rating of the year was 4% poor to very poor, 25% fair and 71% good to excellent.

A Fairmont Police Officer and a suspect in a pursuit were injured in a two vehicle accident Friday Afternoon in the City of Blue Earth.

The Minnesota State Patrol says the accident happened shortly before 4pm at the intersection of Sailor St. and East 8^th St.

The Patrol says the Fairmont Police Squad car was in pursuit of a vehicle driven by a 47 year old woman from Cleveland, Ohio in the city of Blue Earth when the suspect vehicle made a u-turn and struck the squad car.

The 23 year old police officer and the suspect were taken to the Blue Earth Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The names of the officer and the suspect have not been released.

The Fairmont and Blue Earth Police Departments, the Martin and Faribault County Sheriff’s Offices and Blue Earth Ambulance assisted at the scene.