Farmers worried as flooding threatens crops in southern Minnesota
All the rain Minnesota has seen over the past week has led to flooded fields in certain parts of the state.
"I think if you go out to west central Minnesota yesterday in Canby, they got 5.5 inches of rain by 10 p.m., I heard," said farmer Ryan Mackenthun.
During the growing season, farmers welcome the rain. But too much of a good thing can hurt the bottom line.
"Obviously the crops are suffering pretty big in this area now," said Mackenthun, who is also vice president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.
WCCO caught up with him along a stretch of water-logged fields between Hutchinson and the Twin Cities. Even with field tiles working to drain standing water, it's not always enough.
He said crops can survive being underwater for about 48 hours. After that their chances of making it go down significantly.
"In a field like this, every business or farm there's margin, right? If you lose 10% of your crop, that's 10% of your margin. That's 10% on top," said Mackenthun.
WCCO
And it's not just here. Video taken near Echo, Minnesota shows water from flooded fields pouring onto a nearby highway. Still, Mackenthun said it's not quite as bad as a year ago when excessive rain turned some farmland into temporary lakes.
"Last year we had some areas that got 7 inches of rain in a day and 14 within a week," said Mackenthun.
But if the rain keeps up, parts of the state could see a repeat. And Mackenthun said be careful what you wish for. Because what followed flooding last summer was months of drought.
"You can do the best job you can but Mother Nature decides what we end up with in the end. That's just part of farming, I guess. It's a high-risk occupation, actually," said Mackenthun.
Mackenthun said he lost 12% of his crop last year, due to flooding. He says some farmers could look to replant if they lose too much of their crop.
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