The first official “Crop Progress & Condition” report was issued Monday by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and the National Ag Statistical Service. It may have been a little light on numbers, but it shows Wisconsin farmers are trying to get a “normal” spring planting season started.
State reporters pointed to saturated soils as one of the major challenges in getting things started. Some farms are also still working on harvesting standing corn from the 2019 growing season before turning to spring tillage.
Topsoil moisture conditions statewide were rated 0 percent very short, 1 percent short, 61 percent adequate and 38 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition was rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 64 percent adequate and 36 percent surplus.
As of April 5, spring tillage was 1 percent complete statewide, equal to last year and the 5-year average. Reporters commented most fields were too wet to be worked.
Oats planted were reported as 2 percent complete, 1 percent ahead of last year and equal to the 5-year average.
Leave a Reply