By Blake Jackson
Wisconsin farmers benefited from drier weather last week, allowing them to catch up on planting activities according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. With 5.2 days suitable for fieldwork, producers focused on tillage, planting crops, and cutting hay.
Soil moisture remains favorable for planting with topsoil rated 1% very short, 8% short, 74% adequate, and 17% surplus. Subsoil moisture is even better with no areas rated very short, 10% short, 77% adequate, and 13% surplus.
Planting Progress Ahead of Schedule
Planting is ahead of schedule for most major crops compared to last year and the five-year average. Corn planting is 66% complete, 2 days ahead of both last year and the average. Over a fifth (23%) of corn has already emerged.
Soybean planting is also progressing well at 57% complete, exceeding last year's progress by 3 days and the average by 4 days. Soybean emergence has reached 21%.
Oat planting is nearly finished at 81% complete, surpassing both last year's (78%) and the average (79%) progress. Over half (56%) of oat fields have emerged.
Winter wheat is developing quickly with 5% of the heads emerging, 5 days earlier than usual.
Potato planting is almost complete at 82%, exceeding both last year and the average by a couple of days. Spring tillage is also nearing completion at 82%, ahead of schedule.
The first cutting of alfalfa hay began with 8% of fields harvested, 3 days ahead of last year and the average.
Most crops are in good to excellent condition. Winter wheat condition improved slightly to 86% good to excellent. Oat and potato condition also remain favorable at 71% and 87% good to excellent, respectively. All hay condition is up slightly to 75% good to excellent, and pasture and range conditions remain steady at 59% good to excellent.
Photo Credit: istock-ligora
Categories: Wisconsin, Crops, Corn, Soybeans