Some nice rains over the weekend certainly improved the soil moisture profile in Wisconsin. Precipitation totals ranged from .81 inches in Eau Claire to 3.14 inches inMadison. As of Sunday soil moisture is listed at 61% adequate and 18% surplus in the Badger State and that does not include all of the rain that fell into Monday morning. Although, Northeastern Wisconsin did not get nearly enough as 24% is still listed as very short. Year-to-date precipitation isstill nearly three inches below normal in Eau Claire and La Crosse while Green Bay and Milwaukee are just a little above normal; Madison is 4.44 inches above normal. Thanks to the very warm conditions last Thursday and Friday, average temperatures are pretty-well back to normal across thestate.

The rain finally got the alfalfa and winter wheat fields growing so producers can assess damage. Oconto and Sauk Counties report some winter kill in alfalfa. Those two along with Jefferson, Washington and Barron Counties report some loss in the winter wheat.Reporters in Shawano, Dunn and Taylor say it is still too early to tell

Oats planting is now 10% ahead of normal for this date, 58% planted in Wisconsin with 7% emerged. Corn planting finally got started with 6% of the crop in the ground mainly in the Southwest. The soilis still too cold in much of the state.

Corn planting made some big strides over the past week especially in the Western Cornbelt, but nationally, activity still trails the average pace. USDA reports that as ofSunday planting is 22% complete, compared to 5% last week, 9% last year and the five year average of 28%. In terms of percentage, Iowa made the most progress, moving from 6% last week to 47% this week, with Minnesota not far behind (none last week, 40% this week). In contrast, Illinois, Indiana andOhio are at less than 5% planted, all well behind average.

Soybean planting is just underway at 3%, compared to 2% a year ago and the five year average of 5%. The furthest along is Louisiana at 34%, followed by Mississippi at 33% and Arkansas at 12%.

Spring wheat planting continues to move slower than average with 15% of the crop sown. That's up 9% from the prior week but 17% less than a year ago and 21% slower than the five year average. None of the major growing states are planting at an average pace, with North Dakota the slowest at 1%,compared to the five year average of 26%. 2% of the crop has emerged, compared to 4% a year ago and the five year average of 9%.

21% of winter wheat has headed, compared to 14% both last week and last year and the five year average of 23%. 45% of the crop is in good toexcellent condition, compared to 43% a week ago and 46% a year ago.

Iowa farmers took advantage of nearly ideal conditions last week before idling their planters as weekend rain storms soaked recently planted fields. Sunny skies and warmtemperatures set the stage for a furious corn planting pace across the western two-thirds of the state.

Statewide, corn planting is 47 percent complete, far ahead of last year’s 3 percent, and 4 days earlier than the five year average. Oat seeding is now 93 percent complete,almost two weeks ahead of normal.

Crop reporters commented that the warm weather and weekend rains were beneficial for pastures. However, one reporter in the Northeast district noted that winterkill was evident in some alfalfa fields and other forage grasses.