Last Week's Weather Great for Crops, But Storms Cause Damage
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019 -- 9:39 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -The hot and humid weather is exactly what the doctor ordered last week for Wisconsin crop producers as the muggy conditions helped spur development in corn and soybean fields.But another weekend of severe weather did cause major crop damage in many areas, while further soaking already-saturated soils, according to the state's latest crop weather summary. District scouts say fieldwork and hay baling was interrupted by thunderstorms on Friday night and into Saturday. Many producers expressed concern that lodged small grains may not stand back up before harvest time. Topsoil moisture levels were rated 98 percent adequate to surplus, with no areas of the state considered to be short on moisture. As of Sunday, about 10 percent of the corn crop reached the silking state. That's 12 days behind last year and more than a week slower than the five-year average.
Statewide, the corn is rated 60 percent good to excellent, unchanged from last week. Ninety six percent of soybeans had emerged, with nearly a third now blooming. Just one percent of the beans were setting pods by third week in July. Winter wheat was 97 percent headed and 82 percent coloring, 10 days behind both last year and the average. A few farmers had already started combining their crop. It was a similar story in the oat fields, as 88 percent were headed as of this past weekend. And the second cutting of alfalfa hay was reported as 62 percent complete, 11 days later than last year and nine days behind normal.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.