News

Cold and dry in Wisconsin

Things got drier in Wisconsin last week. The weekly Crop Progress Report from the National Ag Statistics Service Wisconsin Field Office shows 52 percent of the state has soil moisture listed as very short, 38 percent is short with just 10 percent adequate. That is a 9-point deterioration from last week. Madison is now 9 inches below normal precipitation, Eau Claire and La Crosse are more than 7 inches short.

The combines were rolling with a record 75 percent of the state’s soybeans harvested, 29 points ahead of the previous record for this date set back in 2010. 98 percent of the beans have dropped leaves. Most are reporting pretty good yields; pod shatter is a problem as the beans are so dry.

The corn crop is 92 percent mature, 22 points ahead of the five-year average with 36 percent harvested compared to 13 percent normally in the bin by now. Ear drop continues to be reported across the state.

The potato harvest is wrapping up and cranberries are coming in.

Read the full NASS report here: