Very little precipitation and a lot of sunshine made for some busy combines in Wisconsin last week. The weekly crop progress report from the National Ag Statistics Service Wisconsin Field Office says as of Sunday, 38 percent of the Badger State corn-for-grain crop is harvested. That is a 15 percent increase over a week ago but still about half of the 77 percent that should be done by now. Some are still holding off as moisture levels remain in the upper 20’s and lower 30’s. Growers are caught between the lesser of two evils, drying costs or mold. There are a number of counties reporting test weights in the 40’s to low 50’s and disappointing yields.
A number of farmers decided to leave the corn stand and went after the soybeans, 88 percent of the state’s soybeans are harvested as of Sunday, still 9 percent behind the five-year average but a 38 percent increase in just the last week. Moisture levels are reported in the 10 to 14 percent range with yields from 30 to 50 bushels. With the dry weather continuing into the middle of this week, the beans should be pretty-well in the bin.
Winter wheat planting is 84 percent complete, 63 percent emerged and 38 percent of fall tillage is done.
Statewide soil moisture is listed as 84 percent adequate and 12 percent surplus with the Southeast district the wettest.
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