The waves of heat that took temperatures well above 80 degrees last week brought a sigh of relief to area corn farmers whose crops were given a much needed kick in the stalks.

Erick Abnet, who farms just over 200 acres of corn outside La Crescent, said he’s seeing an increase in his yield this year n and the warmer temperatures have given his crops a boost.

Corn was selling for around $6 to $7 per bushel last year, he said, and this year it’s only going for about half as much

Although he typically feeds his livestock with his yield n as long as there isn’t too much more rain n this year might be different.

“This year I’m getting more, so I might sell some,” Abnet said. “It’s hard to say, but as of right now it’s looking pretty good.”

And the warmer weather has given crops across the state some much needed growth.

“It definitely helps,” said Carolyn Dingfelder, a coordinator in the Winona County Extension office. “We’ve been lacking the heat ... for the corn to take off.”

Minnesota’s average corn height is about 2 inches below the five-year average but about six inches higher than at this time last year, when wet weather delayed spring planting across much of the state.

Minnesota ranked fourth in 2008 corn field value of production — bringing in over $4.4 million — with Iowa, Illinois and Nebraska leading the list, according to National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Last year, Houston County farmers harvested 167 bushels of grain corn per acre, NASS data indicated, just a little ahead of the previous year.

Matt Christensen of the Winona Daily News contributed to this story.