Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today issued a disaster declaration for 47 of North Dakota’s 57 counties. That was following a request by Governor Doug Burgum for that designation. State Farmers Union President Mark Watne says the disaster declaration will be very helpful for farmers who’ve been trying to rebound from the weather impacts and have been delayed with harvesting.
North Dakota had its wettest September on record this year breaking several precipitation records across the western part of the state followed by an early October snowstorm that dropped historic amounts of snow in some areas. Watne says harvesting has been difficult for most farmers.
The latest NASS crop report showed only 10 percent of North Dakota’s corn crop harvested compared to the long term average of 60 percent. The soybean harvest is just passed the halfway mark when it normally would be wrapping up. Only about a fourth of the sunflowers are in the bin. Watne says about 30 to 40 percent of the sugar beets and potatoes are still out in the field.
