The word from south central Wisconsin is that the winter wheat crop is looking good. Pat Duffy is the merchandiser at Duffy Grain, serving about 400 farms around Columbus, Wisconsin. Today, his farmer customers are about wrapped up with the wheat harvest. He says he’s happy about the quantity that’s coming in, and the quality of the wheat crop.
In the latest crop condition report from USDA, winter wheat is now 76 percent harvested across the state. Crop condition was rated 66 percent good to excellent statewide, up 3 percent from last week. Last year at this time, winter wheat condition was rated roughly 80 percent good to excellent.
“It’s been a pretty good crop this year so far,” Duffy says. “We got off to a good start, and test weights actually have been good. We’re averaging 58.”
He says the ideal test weight is 58 or higher. Duffy also notes foreign matter hasn’t been an issue.
“We have not had any vomitoxin issues this year so far, so that’s a good thing,” he says.
Duffy says crop concern is geared toward the corn and soybean crops. He’s optimistic that the recent rains have helped those fields.
The latest crop condition report from USDA says portions of northeast and east central Wisconsin did get rain, which helped alleviate some effects of drought. Statewide, corn condition is rated 53 percent good to excellent. Soybean condition is rated 52 percent good to excellent.
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