News

Wisconsin harvest efforts hindered by winter weather

The Wisconsin harvest remains behind schedule, and the weekend winter storm didn’t help. 

USDA reporters say the corn for grain harvest is only 66% complete and the soybean harvest is only 86% complete.  The northern two-thirds of the state saw freezing rain and snow as two storm systems passed through Wisconsin since Thanksgiving, further complicating the harvest.  Much of the state received over a foot of new snow.

USDA says high grain moistures continue to impede grain storage, and driers have been running full blast as crops came in.  There are also several reports of low test weights.  Reporters in northern Wisconsin say a lot of corn will stand through the winter, and some might not be harvested.  Southeastern Wisconsin farmers including some in Sheboygan and Fond du Lac county that didn’t get much snow are hopeful they can get remaining soybeans and corn in if the ground remains solid enough for machinery.

Fall tillage is done in much of the state because of snow and frost.  That is also a problem for farmers who report they still have full manure pits and cannot apply manure to fields under present conditions.

USDA’s National Ag Statistics Service will issue one more weekly crop report for Wisconsin December 9^th but the report will only focus on corn.