Wisconsin Ag Connection - Wet Conditions Starting to Cause Mold on Some Crops

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Wet Conditions Starting to Cause Mold on Some Crops
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 11/03/2009

Not too many farmers were out in the fields during the past week after a mixture of rain and snow fell from the skies. The Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service said in its weekly crop report that precipitation ranged from 0.39 inches in La Crosse to 1.48 inches in Milwaukee. Mold spots are also starting to show up in corn and soybean fields across the state.

The report notes that corn maturity is around 86 percent complete, and corn silage harvest was at 94 percent complete. About 13 percent of the corn for grain was harvested during the past week--an increase of four percentage points from the previous week. Mold appeared in many fields, especially fields where ears were still upright. Farmers reported concerns with moisture levels as well as quality of corn.

The soybean harvest was reported at 29 percent complete, an increase of four percentage points. Soybean harvest was slow to progress as fields were too wet and muddy to enter.

Winter wheat planted was reported at 68 percent complete with 43 percent emerged. Farmers reported none to very little winter wheat planted last week due to the wet fields and delayed harvest. Some were still waiting to plant winter wheat after harvesting of beans has finished, while others stated it was going to be too late to plant any winter wheat.

Fall tillage is at 23 percent complete, an increase of two percent from last week. Fall manure hauling has also been limited due to the ground being too wet to haul on.