ST. PAUL  — Minnesota farmers have gotten a jump on small grain planting this spring.

Although only 3.5 days were suitable for fieldwork for the week ending Sunday, the U.S. Department of Natural Resources says small grain planting by Minnesota farmers is 3.5 weeks ahead of last year’s pace.

Twenty percent of Minnesota’s spring wheat is planted, five days ahead of normal. Seventeen percent of oat acreage is planted, almost four weeks ahead of last year. Barley planting is 10 percent complete, which is a month ahead of last year and a day ahead of the five-year average.

Sugar beet planting is 11 percent complete, 30 days ahead of last year.

Most farmers are waiting for warmer weather to start planting corn, although there are scattered reports of corn planting in southern Minnesota.