News
Wisconsin picks up the planting pace
After along, weather-related wait, Wisconsin’s farmers were able to accomplish a lot of field work last week.
USDA reporters say the unseasonably warm week was helpful after several cool and wet weeks slowed down tillage and planting. USDA says they had several reporters in southern Wisconsin say they had never seen so much acreage planted in one week.
Statewide, 57% of the tillage is done, which is five days behind average.
Thirty-four percent of the corn is planted, with 3% of it emerged. South-central and southeastern Wisconsin growers have 50% of their corn planted.
Twenty-six percent of the state’s soybeans are planted, which is about 2 days behind average. One percent of the beans have emerged. Growers in southwest and southcentral Wisconsin have more than 35% of their beans planted.
Fifty-four percent of the oats are in the ground. Potato planting is now 69% complete.
The winter wheat condition is 79% good to excellent, and the all hay condition is 70% good to excellent. The alfalfa winter freeze damage had 2% of fields with moderate damage and 10% with light damage.
Topsoil moisture in Wisconsin is 74% adequate and 13% surplus, with subsoil moistures at 77% adequate and 1-% surplus.
