Harvest speeds ahead with optimal weather
Last week farmers across Wisconsin made headway on the corn 2020 harvest thanks to sunny, window warm weather.
According to USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service Wisconsin Crop Progress and Condition report, farmers enjoyed nearly 6 days of weather suitable for fieldwork. However, activity in many fields idled as cooler, wet weather moved in across the state for the weekend.
Crop reporters across Wisconsin noted that corn silage, chopping and fourth crop hay cutting moved quickly while the soybean harvest got underway in southern and central Wisconsin. Even a few combines were rolling, harvesting high moisture corn.
Winter wheat planting and emergence were well ahead of normal, with fall tillage, cover crop planting and manure handling also taking place.
Corn dent occurred in 96% of the corn crop, a month ahead of last year and 17 days ahead of the five-year average. Seventy percent of the corn was deemed as mature, 28 days ahead of 2019's harvest. Corn condition was rated 77% good to excellent statewide.
Corn harvested for silage was 80% complete, a month ahead of last year.
Ninety-five percent of soybean fields have already colored with 79% of the plants dropping their leaves - a week ahead of the average. Just 10% of the soybeans were reported as being harvested. Soybean condition is rated as 79% good to excellent.
Just over half of the winter wheat crop was in the ground, 24 days ahead of last year. Of the crop in the ground, 28% of the plants have emerged, 10 days ahead of average.
Haying machinery made its last sweep over fields with 87% of fourth crop hay now complete, more than four weeks ahead of last year.