Wisconsin crop progress looking good

The Brillion News

MADISON - The Wisconsin Crop Progress Report, releases on Tuesday, August 25, is good news for growers.

Wisconsin had 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending on Sunday, August 23, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Very dry weather continues this week, providing ideal conditions for harvesting hay, small grains and straw but stressing other crops.

Portions of southern and central Wisconsin received no precipitation at all, while scattered showers brought small amounts of moisture elsewhere.

Hot, sunny days dried soils; prompting concern for corn and soybeans, and pasture and hay regrowth.

People reporting on field and crop condiitons saw a few producers chopping corn silage, either because they were short on feed or because the fields were damaged by dry conditions.

Snap beans, sweet corn, and other canning crops were being harvested. Manure applications and cover crop plantings were going into cleared fields.

Topsoil moisture condition rated 15 percent very short, 28 percent short, 55 percent adequate and two percent surplus.

Subsoil moisture condition rated nine percent very short, 23 percent short, 66 percent adequate and two percent surplus.

Corn at dough stage or beyond was 80 percent, twenty-five days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the five-year average.

Corn dented was 24 percent, twelve days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the average. Corn condition rated 81 percent good to excellent statewide, three percentage points below last week.

Soybeans setting pods was 93 percent, over 4 weeks ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the average. Seven percent of soybeans were coloring, 11 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of the average. Soybean condition rated 82 percent good to excellent statewide, three percentage points below last week.

Oat harvest was 87 percent complete, 29 days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the average.

Potato harvest was reported as 24 percent complete, 13 days ahead of last year and five days ahead of the average. Potato condition rated 93 percent good to excellent statewide, down five percentage points from last week.

Winter wheat harvested for grain was 98 percent complete, nine days ahead of last year and three days ahead of the average.

Third cutting of alfalfa was reported as 87 percent complete, 15 days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the average. Fourth cutting of alfalfa was reported as eight percent complete, three days ahead of last year but eight days behind the average.

All hay condition rated 76 percent good to excellent statewide, down five percentage points from last week.

Pasture condition rated 61 percent good to excellent statewide, seven percentage points below last week.