Over 50 counties in Minnesota still being considered in a severe drought
Just over 50 counties in Minnesota are still being classified in the D2 severe drought stage, portions of nine counties are currently classified as being in an extreme drought and many crops are being affected. State Ag Commissioner Thom Peterson:
The latest US Drought Monitor Map for Minnesota is showing the far southern edge of Mower County as being in a severe drought, while the rest of the county is listed as being in a moderate drought. The map is also currently showing all or parts of Wabasha, Winona, Olmsted, Fillmore and Houston Counties being abnormally dry, all or portions of over 60 counties throughout the state as being in a moderate drought all or parts of over 50 counties in southern, southwestern, west-central, central, north-central, northwestern and northern Minnesota as being in a severe drought and most or portions of Wadena, Stearns, Hubbard, Beltrami, Clearwater, Marshall, Pennington, Red Lake and Polk Counties in central, north-central and northwestern Minnesota as being in an extreme drought.
Petersen says livestock producers should be thinking ahead about forage needs and recommends crop farmers who anticipate losses reach out to their insurance agents about what needs to be documented.