Wisconsin had 6.6 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending August 23, 2020, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Very dry weather continued this week, providing ideal conditions for harvesting hay, small grains and straw but stressing other crops. Portions of southern and central Wisconsin received no precipitation at all, while scattered showers brought small amounts of moisture elsewhere. Hot, sunny days dried soils; prompting concern for corn and soybeans, and pasture and hay regrowth. Reporters saw a few producers chopping corn silage, either because they were short on feed or because the fields were damaged by dry conditions. Snap beans, sweet corn, and other canning crops were being harvested. Manure applications and cover crop plantings
were going into cleared fields.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 15% very short, 28% short, 55% adequate and 2% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 9% very short, 23% short, 66% adequate and 2% surplus.
Corn at dough stage or beyond was 80%, twenty-five days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the 5-year average. Corn dented was 24%, twelve days ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of the average. Corn condition rated 81% good to excellent statewide, 3 percentage points below last week.
Soybeans setting pods was 93%, over 4 weeks ahead of last year and 8 days ahead of the average. Seven percent of soybeans were coloring, 11 days ahead of last year and 4 days ahead of the average. Soybean condition rated 82% good to excellent statewide, 3 percentage points below last week.
Oat harvest was 87% complete, 29 days ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the average.
Potato harvest was reported as 24% complete, 13 days ahead of last year and 5 days ahead of the average. Potato condition rated 93% good to excellent statewide, down 5 percentage points from last week.
Winter wheat harvested for grain was 98% complete, 9 days ahead of last year and 3 days ahead of the average.
Third cutting of alfalfa was reported as 87% complete, 15 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of the average. Fourth cutting of alfalfa was reported as 8% complete, 3 days ahead of last year but 8 days behind the average. All
hay condition rated 76% good to excellent statewide, down 5 percentage points from last week.
Pasture condition rated 61% good to excellent statewide, 7 percentage points below last week.
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