News

Drought impacting northwestern Wisconsin crops

A farmer in northwestern Wisconsin says the driest stretch of weather after June 1^st in 130 years will impact grain yields.

Andy Bensend, who grows corn, soybeans, and wheat in Barron County, tells Brownfield…

“Grain yields are going to be off, I’m going to roughly say 20%.”  He says, “Nobody’s cut any beans yet, so we don’t really know. I’d say we’re probably about a week to 10 days away from significant soybean harvest.”

He says the dry weather has also pushed silage production.

“We’re probably 75% finished.”  He says, “A couple of weeks ago, we were down in Arlington, the prairie, there was no silage being cut, and yet we were well into it up here, so it’s highly unusual for us to be advanced.”

As of Sunday, the USDA says 1% of Wisconsin corn is harvested with 61% in good to excellent condition, 73% dented, and 26% mature.  Fifty-nine percent of soybeans are in good condition with 27% dropping leaves.  Oat harvest is complete.

AUDIO: Andy Bensend – Wisconsin farmer