Progress Continues in Wisconsin Farm Fields

Tuesday, May 24th, 2022 -- 9:01 AM

(Wisconsin Ag Connection) A nearly perfect week in the fields helped farmers continue to make headway with tillage and planting activity.

According to the Wisconsin Ag Connection, the latest crop/weather summary from the Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service noted that the planter wheels were turning in full motion for corn and soybean growers last week.

Periodic rainfall and warmer temperatures also spurred hay growth. Topsoil moisture condition levels were rated three percent very short, nine percent short, 76 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus.

As of Sunday, about 76 percent of the spring tillage was complete. That was more than two weeks behind last year, but only four days slower than the five-year average. Farmers are also slightly behind in their corn planting, but quickly catching up as 61 percent of the fields are now seeded.

Over a quarter of the planted corn crop is already emerged. Soybean planting was 49 percent complete, nine days behind last year, but even with average trends. Growers also have 75 percent of the oats in the ground, with 44 percent emerged.

Potato planting was reported as 80 percent complete in the Central Sands region. Meanwhile, farmers in southern Wisconsin have began cutting alfalfa last week. Reporters say the crop is looking 75 percent good to excellent condition, which was a five percentage point improvement from a week earlier.

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