Overview of Minnesota Agriculture

D.J. MullaDept. Soil, Water, and Climate

University of Minnesota

Minnesota Pre-Settlement Vegetation

N

20 0 20 40 Kilometers

Classification Aspen-Birch (trending to Conifers) Aspen-Birch (trending to Hardwoods) Aspen-Oak LandBig Woods - Hardwoods (Oak, Maple, Basswood, Hickory) Brush Prairie Conifer Bogs and Swamps Jack Pine Barrens and Openings Lakes (open water) Mixed Hardwood and Pine (Maple, White Pine, Basswood) Mixed White Pine and Red Pine Oak openings and barrens Open Muskeg Pine Flats (Hemlock, Spruce, Fir, White Pine, Aspen) Prairie River Bottom Forest Wet Prairie White Pine

N40 0 40 80 Kilometers

Minnesota Land Use andLand Cover

ClassificationUrban or Built-Up LandAgricultural LandRangelandForest LandWaterWetlandBarren Land

Introduction

• Minnesota has a wide range of soil types, climatic variables, and agricultural systems

• Minnesota has 39 agroecoregionsrepresenting unique combinations of soil, landscape, climatic, and crop production characteristics

Agroecoregions with County Boundaries

Alluvium and OutwashAnoka Sand PlainsBlufflandsCentral TillCoteauDrift and Bedrock ComplexDrumlinsDryer Blue Earth TillDryer Clays and SiltsDryer TillForested Lake SedimentsForested MoraineInner CoteauInter-Beach Sand BarsLevel PlainsMahnomen Lake SedimentsMesabi RangeNorthern TillNorthshore MorainePeatlandsPoorly Drained Blue Earth TillPoorly Drained Lake SedimentsRed Lake LoamsRochester PlateauRolling MoraineSomewhat Poorly Drained Lake SedimentsSteep Dryer MoraineSteep Poorly Drained MoraineSteep Stream BanksSteep Valley WallsSteep Wetter MoraineSteeper AlluviumSteeper TillStream BanksSwelling Clay Lake SedimentsUndulating PlainsVery Poorly Drained Lake SedimentsWetter Blue Earth TillWetter Clays and Silts

Agroecoregions with Major Watershed

Boundaries

Alluvium and OutwashAnoka Sand PlainsBlufflandsCentral TillCoteauDrift and Bedrock ComplexDrumlinsDryer Blue Earth TillDryer Clays and SiltsDryer TillForested Lake SedimentsForested MoraineInner CoteauInter-Beach Sand BarsLevel PlainsMahnomen Lake SedimentsMesabi RangeNorthern TillNorthshore MorainePeatlandsPoorly Drained Blue Earth TillPoorly Drained Lake SedimentsRed Lake LoamsRochester PlateauRolling MoraineSomewhat Poorly Drained Lake SedimentsSteep Dryer MoraineSteep Poorly Drained MoraineSteep Stream BanksSteep Valley WallsSteep Wetter MoraineSteeper AlluviumSteeper TillStream BanksSwelling Clay Lake SedimentsUndulating PlainsVery Poorly Drained Lake SedimentsWetter Blue Earth TillWetter Clays and Silts

CropCrop Rank Nationally (2004)Rank Nationally (2004)Sugarbeets 1stSpring Wheat 2ndHay/Alfalfa 3rdCorn 4thEthanol 4thSoybean 4thOats 4thBarley 6thBeans 6thPotatoes 8th

Minnesota Crop Production RanksMinnesota Crop Production Ranks(22,729,158 ac cropland)(22,729,158 ac cropland)

Minnesota Farm Size Distribution

8%1000 or more ac11%500-999 ac

26%180-499 ac

30%50-179 ac

21%10-49 ac4%1-9 ac

Percent of FarmsPercent of FarmsSize Range (ac)Size Range (ac)

Minnesota Corn Yield Trends 1970-2005

Long-Term Trends in "Legume" Crops (All Hay and Soybeans) during 1921-2004

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

1921 1929 1937 1945 1953 1961 1969 1977 1985 1993 2001

Year

Acr

es in

1,0

00 In

crem

ents Soybeans

Hay

200000

220000

240000

260000

280000

300000

320000

340000

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

Tons

of P

2O5

Phosphate (P2O5) Sales in Minnesota from 1990 to 2004

N40 0 40 80 Kilometers

Agroecoregion Land Use Classifications

ClassificationAgriculture/ForestForest/Wetland/AgricultureAgricultureForestForest/BarrenWetland/ForestWetland/Forest/Water/AgricultureForest/Water/AgricultureAgriculture/Urban

N

ClassificationCorn/SoybeanCorn/HayCorn/Soybean/HayHayWheat/Soybean/MixedWheat/Hay/Mixed

40 0 40 80 Kilometers

Agroecoregion Cropping System Classifications

Lake PepinWatershed

• Upper Mississippi• Metro Area• St. Croix River• Minnesota River• Cannon River• Vermillion River• Local tributaries

Landuse in the Lake Pepin Watershed

Minnesota Pollution Controal Agency

Cultivated Land

Hay/ Pasture/ Grassland

Forested/ Brushland

Water/ Bog/ Marsh/ Fen

Urban and Rural Development

Lake Pepin

Type of ProductionType of Production Rank NationallyRank NationallyTurkeys raised, 2002 2ndHogs Marketed, 2002 3rdTotal Cheese Produced, 1999 4thMilk Production, 1999 5thRed Meat Production, 1999 7thEggs produced, 1999 9thCattle/calves on Feed, 2002 11th

Minnesota Animal Product Minnesota Animal Product Production RanksProduction Ranks

Minnesota Registered Animal Feedlots (23,912 total)

4%1000 or more AU7%500-999 AU

7%300-499 AU

40%100-299 AU

26%50-100 AU16%10-50 AU

Percent of FeedlotsPercent of FeedlotsSize Range (Size Range (AUsAUs))

N40 0 40 80 Kilometers

Proportion of Statewide Animal Unitsper Agroecoregion

Percent0 - 23 - 56 - 78 - 10

N40 0 40 80 Kilometers

Agroecoregion Animal System Classifications

ClassificationSparse CattleCattle/HogCattle/Hog/TurkeyHog/CattleCattle/Turkey

Conclusions

• Minnesota is a top agricultural producing state

• Dairy production is decreasing, while hog production is increasing

• Soybean acreage is increasing, and corn productivity is increasing

• Agroecoregions are useful for delineating broad patterns in land use, cropping systems, and animal production