News

Wisconsin crops benefit from hot week

USDA reporters say a second week of summer heat and sunshine helped dry out wet fields and helped late-planted crops grow rapidly.  Scattered showers and thunderstorms didn’t interrupt field work for very long.  Soil moisture is reported at 77% adequate and 15% surplus statewide.

Ninety-seven percent of the state’s corn has emerged, with 60% of the crop in good to excellent condition, which is an improvement over last week.  There are reports of some corn tasseling.

Ninety-four percent of Wisconsin’s soybeans have emerged, a full three-weeks behind average.  Seven percent of the beans have started blooming.

Winter wheat is 93% headed with 66% of the wheat coloring.  Oats are 74% headed and 20% colored.

Potatoes are 83% good to excellent, which is four points down from a week ago.

Second-crop alfalfa is now 45% cut and only 45% of all hay is in good to excellent condition, but hay and pasture ground improved over last week.  Many northern Wisconsin farmers are still working on first crop hay.

USDA reporters in southwestern Wisconsin say insects in hay fields are the worst they’ve ever been, causing light yields and concerns about getting enough hay for the winter.