AgricultureID

State · US-MN

Minnesota

Minnesota is hot-summer humid continental (Dfa) in the south and warm-summer humid continental (Dfb) in the north, with warm summers, cold winters, and a growing season that shortens northward. Frost dates tightly bound the field season.

Major crop systems

  • Rainfed maize–soybean rotation
  • Sugar beet and spring wheat in the Red River Valley
  • Sweet corn, peas, and dry edible beans for processing

Major livestock systems

  • Confined hogs — among the top states
  • Turkey production — a national leader
  • Dairy and beef cattle

Agricultural land: Fertile prairie soils across the south and west support intensive row cropping, the flat Red River Valley in the northwest is prime sugar beet and small-grain land, and forest and lakes dominate the northeast. Irrigation: Cropping is mostly rainfed, with center-pivot irrigation concentrated on the sandy Central Sands region.

Agroecological zones: Dfa (Hot-summer humid continental), Dfb (Warm-summer humid continental)

Documented crops & livestock

Official institutions

  • Minnesota Department of Agriculture — State department for agriculture, food safety, and marketing.
  • University of Minnesota Extension — Land-grant research and extension for crops, livestock, and food systems.
  • USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) — Official state-level crop, livestock, and Census of Agriculture statistics, published through its regional field office network.

Data coverage & limitations

Descriptive profile; subnational statistics for Minnesota are published by USDA NASS and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and are not reproduced numerically here.

  • Boundaries and administrative classification follow the ISO 3166-2 subdivision system and USDA/state reporting units.
  • No subnational statistics are reproduced here; any official figures are dated, versioned, and periodically revised — read them with their year and source.
  • A statewide profile masks the divide between the intensively farmed south and Red River Valley and the forested, minimally cropped northeast.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]USDA NASS — National Agricultural Statistics Service (opens in a new tab)

    USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Official state agricultural statistics

    Type:
    Government agency
    Jurisdiction:
    United States
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]USDA — U.S. Department of Agriculture (opens in a new tab)

    United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Federal agricultural context

    Type:
    Government agency
    Jurisdiction:
    United States
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  3. [3]University of Minnesota Extension — Crop and pest resources (opens in a new tab)

    University of Minnesota Extension

    High

    Cited for: Minnesota crop and livestock production context

    Type:
    University extension service
    Jurisdiction:
    United States (Minnesota)
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12