A drier week for most of Wisconsin allowed for some field conditions to improve, but the cool temperatures and wet soil conditions were still holding back spring tillage and planting. This is the word from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The latest crop progress and condition report shows spring tillage was reported as 21 percent complete, four days ahead of last year but five days behind the 5-year average.
Corn planting was 2 percent complete, two days ahead of last year but eight days behind the average. Soybean planting was 3 percent complete, matching the previous year but two days behind average.
Coming off of the latest crop progress and condition report, market advisor John Heinberg of Total Farm Marketing in West Bend says corn planting is going well in the South and East… but in the North and West, it’s been too cold. That’s why farmers are getting a start on soybean planting:
Twenty-three percent of the expected oat crop has been planted, five days ahead of last year but four days behind the average. Five percent of the oat crop has emerged.
Meanwhile, potato planting was reported as 30 percent complete, a day ahead of last year but equal to the average.
Winter wheat condition was rated 74 percent good to excellent statewide, unchanged from last week.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 34 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 1 percent short, 66 percent adequate and 33 percent surplus.
Pasture condition was rated 48 good to excellent statewide, up 1 percent from last week.
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