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A tough crop year in northern Wisconsin

The wet spring and dry late summer have led to a tough year for some northern Wisconsin farmers.

One of them is Ben Augustine, who farms near Sheldon.  Most of his crops were planted very late after his clay soils dried out.  He says the hot September weather brought needed heat units, but the soybeans are looking rough. “They’re too dry, actually. Eight, nine, ten percent, you know, and a lot of shattering going on.”

Augustine is currently chopping corn silage for his dairy operation, and he tells Brownfield the moisture levels swing from the low 50s to the mid-60s, which is below ideal, and the tonnage isn’t what it should be. “You know, the late-planted stuff here, I’ll probably get a little less than half (of normal tonnage), even.”

Augustine says he should make it through the winter with enough feed, but he’s going to need a very good 2025 crop since there won’t be much feed left over.