Farms Have More Dry Days Last Week, But Still Cool Temperatures
Tuesday, June 25th, 2019 -- 8:44 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Though there were more dry days last week, farm fields still lacked the warm weather needed for crop development as temperatures dropped into the 40s in certain areas of the state.The Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service's weekly crop report said soils were finally beginning to dry out, giving producers an opportunity to get caught up on delayed field work and late planting. Reporters say crop emergence was still well behind and showing stress from excess moisture around the state. The first crop of alfalfa was mostly chopped or bagged for haylage because conditions were too poor for drying hay. And scouts also commented that some winter damaged hay stands were in worse shape than they had seemed a few weeks earlier. Topsoil moisture levels were reported three-percent short, 73 percent adequate and 24 percent surplus. As of Sunday, 93 percent of the corn was planted, which was still more than two weeks behind normal.
Emergence was also a half-month behind schedule at just 81 percent. Eighty eight percent of the soybeans were planted, 15 days off last year and the five-year average. Only 69 percent of the beans had emerged so far; and the crop is only rated 59 percent good to excellent. Winter wheat was 69 percent headed, one full week behind last year and 10 days behind average. And farmers have mowed 77 percent of their first hay crop. That's 10 days behind both last year and the five-year average. All hay condition was reported 41 percent in good to excellent condition.
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