News
Wisconsin’s planting progress good, but rain needed
Wisconsin’s farmers had a nearly perfect week for fieldwork, as dry conditions allowed tillage and planting, but prevented emergence of the new crops.
The state had scattered light weekend rains and some hard freezes in the north, but no significant rain events.
Spring tillage is 93% finished, about two-and-a-half weeks ahead of average.
Seventy-eight percent of Wisconsin’s corn is planted, and that’s about 11% ahead of average.
Sixty-three percent of the state’s soybeans are in the ground, and that’s 13 days ahead of average. More than ninety percent of Wisconsin’s oats and potatoes are planted, and many central Wisconsin potato growers already have sprouts.
Wheat is 1% headed in southern Wisconsin, with the overall condition statewide at 87% good to excellent.
Sixty-five percent of the hay is in good to excellent condition, down about seven points from a week ago.
Soil precipitation is below normal, and driest in the Eau Claire area, where the northwest region is more than three and a half inches below average rainfall. Statewide, topsoil moisture is 28% short and 15% very short of moisture.
Cool temperatures caused some freeze damage to alfalfa, with the heaviest damage in northeast Wisconsin northwest of Green Bay.
