Rain, snow slow fieldwork in ND, replenish topsoil

FARGO, N.D. -- Rain and snow that moved into North Dakota last week slowed fieldwork but has also replenished topsoil moisture in many areas.

The U.S. Agriculture Department says in its weekly crop, livestock and weather report that harvest of the state's late season crops was already seeing good progress before the moisture moved in.

The corn harvest advanced 27 percentage points to 63 percent complete, ahead of both last year's pace and the five-year average. The sugar beet harvest at 37 percent is outpacing last year's but slightly behind the average.

Pasture and range conditions are rated 37 percent very poor, 29 percent poor, 27 percent fair and 7 percent good.