“Yes, we sure could use it,” said the Manhattan, Mont., farmer who raises winter wheat and malt barley. He also said his fields aren’t as badly in need of moisture as those of many other area farmers.

Though Flikkema’s planting is wrapped up, planting of small grains continues in the region, as does planting of row crops, according to the weekly crop progress released May 3 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service, an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The report reflected conditions on May 2.

Most of the region remains very dry or in drought. Though the absence of rain threatens 2021 crops, it also allows farmers to spend more time planting. Farmers in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota all averaged more than six days suitable for fieldwork in the week ending May 2, according to the crop progress report.

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