Wisconsin Farmers Starting to See Some Momentum with Crops
Tuesday, July 30th, 2019 -- 8:49 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Wisconsin farmers are finally seeing some momentum in terms of crop development as ideal summer conditions helped boost corn and soybeans last week, while giving producers a chance to get fieldwork done.The latest crop/weather summery from the Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service noted that crops grew rapidly in the heat, though development remained behind normal after a very late spring. Rain showers were sparse and scattered during the week, with some isolated thunderstorms causing even more damage to crops and buildings. Topsoil moisture levels were rated one percent very short, five percent short, 78 percent adequate and 16 percent surplus. As of Sunday, 28 percent of the corn crop was reported as silking, which is still two weeks behind last year and nine days slower than average. Reporters felt more of the crop fit the description of being in good to excellent condition compared to a week earlier. Soybeans were nearly half-bloomed statewide. That's 13 days behind 2018 levels and 11 days off the norm.
Ten percent of the beans were setting pods and two-thirds were in good to excellent condition. Ninety-four percent of the winter wheat acres were coloring and 10 percent of the crop has been harvested. Oats are also catching up, as 57 percent of that crop had colored and 10 percent has been combined. The second cutting of alfalfa hay was reported as 78 percent complete, which is more than a week later than usual for the fourth week of July. Five percent of the third crop has been cut, with just over half looking good to excellent.
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