Mother Nature Still Causing Grief for Farmers
Wednesday, May 29th, 2019 -- 9:44 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Frequent rainstorms continue to leave farmers in the Badger State frustrated as yet another week passed with little opportunity for fieldwork.The Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service's weekly crop progress report noted that soils remained wetter and colder than usual; and crop planting and emergence were well behind normal for the end of May. Reporters across the state say there would likely be some prevented plantings in alfalfa fields, but the wet field conditions are keeping such plantings from occurring, along with herbicide and fertilizer applications. Topsoil moisture levels were rated at 51 percent adequate and 49 percent surplus. As of Sunday, only 68 percent of the spring tillage was complete statewide, which was a full week behind last year and 11 days behind the five-year average.
Corn planting was just under half done. That's nine days slower than in 2018 and two weeks off the average target for this time of year. In the soybean fields, 20 percent of that crop is now in the ground, 11 days behind last year and 13 days behind normal. Winter wheat was 46 percent in good to excellent condition statewide, unchanged from last week. And farmers will have about 25 percent of their oats to be planted yet.
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