MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota farmers produced slightly smaller corn and soybean crops last year than in 2016, but they produced a record sugar beet crop.

The Agriculture Department reports Minnesota’s sugar beet crop at 12.5 million tons, up slightly from the previous record in 2016. Farmers harvested fewer acres but had a record average yield.

Soybean production in the state was down 2 percent and grain corn production was down 4 percent. Alfalfa hay and other hay production also was down, along with sunflowers and corn for silage.