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Another soggy week limits Wisconsin planting, haying

It was another wet week for Wisconsin farmers.  USDA statistician Greg Bussler says only 3.3 days were suitable for field work in the week ending Sunday, and that wetness increased concerns for the timing of planting, especially in northern parts of Wisconsin.  Bussler says that weather also impacted the quality of first crop hay.  Some farmers were able to get some hay and planting done Thursday and Friday if field conditions dried out enough.

Topsoil moisture levels show 33% of cropland has surplus moisture, with 64% rated adequate and just 3% short.  Subsoil moisture levels are also higher with 23% having surplus moisture, 72% rated adequate, and 5% short.

Eighty four percent of Wisconsin’s corn is planted, which is a couple of days behind average.  Emergence is 68% complete.  Seventy percent of the corn is in good to excellent condition.  The highest percentage of planted corn is in the northwestern and west central parts of the state.

Eighty two percent of the soybeans are in the ground with 61% emerged.  Seventy percent of the soybeans are in good to excellent condition.

Ninety-two percent of the oats are planted with emergence at 79%.  Eight percent of the crop has headed.  Overall condition fell one point to 80% good to excellent.

Forty-nine percent of winter wheat has headed, and that’s about a week ahead of average.  Eighty-three percent of the crop is rated good to excellent, but that’s down 3% from last week.

Nearly all of Wisconsin’s potatoes are planted, and 85% of the potatoes that have already emerged are in good to excellent condition.

First crop alfalfa cutting is only 35% finished.  Eighty-two percent of all hay is rated good to excellent.  Pasture and range conditions also improved to 74% good to excellent.  The south-central and southeast parts of Wisconsin are ahead of the rest of the state with around 60% of first crop hay in.

There are still around 8% of farmers that report some spring tillage is needed before they can plant.