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Weekend storms batter crops in southwest Minnesota

The toll of recent severe weather in southwest Minnesota probably won’t be fully known until harvest.

Randy Michaelson sells corn seed for Wyffels Hybrids in Nobles and Jackson Counties.  He says strong storms barreled through the area last weekend.

“There could be adjacent fields, one could be snapped (and the other) tangled. Another field might not have much of anything. It really depends on where that corn was when that actual wind came through.”

Bruce Potter with University of Minnesota Extension tells Brownfield there were also reports of hail, which could lead to disease issues later in the season.

“It tends to be bacterial diseases. We might have some Goss’ Wilt (and) it will be a short time for that infection to take hold.”

Michaelson says they are walking fields to assess the damage and see if there will be opportunities for a fungicide treatment.

Randy Michaelson audio:

Bruce Potter audio: