Summer Weather Gives State Farmers Ample Time in the Fields
Tuesday, June 9th, 2020 -- 8:30 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -With temperatures reaching the 80s and 90s and just a few incidents of rain and severe weather, farmers kept busy this past week wrapping up their planting activity and harvesting hay.Others were applying herbicide and fertilizer where conditions allowed, according to the latest crop/weather summary from the state's agriculture department. Topsoil moisture levels were rated four percent short, 81 percent adequate and 15 percent surplus. As of Sunday, all but four percent of the corn had been planted across the state. That's more than three weeks better than last year's pace and eight days ahead of the five-year average. About 86 percent of the crop has emerged and 84 percent is in good to excellent condition. Soybeans are also making great progress at 94 percent planted, 25 days ahead of the 2019 planting season and 10 days ahead of normal with emergence and conditions looking good.
Farmers have nearly all of the oats in the ground, with 90 percent of the crop sprouting and 11 percent already headed. About a third of the winter wheat has also headed, which is five days ahead of last year, but four days behind the average. And nearly half of the first alfalfa cutting has been run through the haybines, six days ahead of last year, but slightly behind average. Sixty-five percent of the hay is in good to excellent condition, which is a nine-point improvement from a week ago.
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