Another Wet Week Delays Work in Wisconsin's Farm Fields

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026 -- 1:00 PM

(Blake Jackson, Wisconsin Ag Connection) Wet weather conditions significantly limited agricultural activity across Wisconsin for the week ending April 19, 2026, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

According to Blake Jackson with the Wisconsin Ag Connection, farmers had just 1.1 days suitable for fieldwork, as persistent rainfall brought most operations to a standstill. However, drier conditions in the northwestern part of the state allowed for some early spring tillage and limited planting of small grains.

Soil moisture levels remained high, with topsoil rated 47% adequate and 52% surplus, while subsoil moisture was reported at 64% adequate and 35% surplus. These saturated conditions have slowed field progress and delayed planting efforts.

Corn planting has barely begun, reaching only 1% completion. Oat planting is also behind schedule at 5%, well below the five-year average of 16%, with just 1% of the crop emerged. Spring tillage progress stands at 9%, also trailing the average pace of 16%.

Pasture and range conditions held steady, with 38% rated good to excellent. Meanwhile, winter wheat showed slight improvement, with 49% of the crop rated in good to excellent condition, up one percentage point from the previous week.

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