Wisconsin had 5.3 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending November 1, 2020, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Temperatures were well below normal again this week, with nightly lows in the teens and twenties. Dry, windy, sunny days cleared up most of the snow cover and excess soil moisture delivered by last week’s storm allowing fieldwork to resume midweek. The soybean harvest was approaching completion and good progress was made combining corn. Reporters commented that grain moistures were favorably low. Dairy producers were ahead of schedule with manure spreading. Cold temperatures in recent weeks have slowed the development of winter wheat and other fall planted crops.
Topsoil moisture condition rated 1% very short, 8% short, 81% adequate and 10% surplus. Subsoil moisture condition rated 1% very short, 10% short, 80% adequate and 9% surplus.
Corn for grain harvest was 55% complete, 22 days ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of the 5-year average. The moisture content of corn harvested for grain was reported at 20%. Corn condition rated 81% good to excellent statewide, up 1 percentage point from last week.
Soybean harvest was 91% complete, more than 4 weeks ahead of last year and 2 weeks ahead of the average. Winter wheat planted was 97% complete, more than 4 weeks ahead of last year and 23 days ahead of the average.
Seventy-eight percent of winter wheat was emerged, more than 4 weeks
ahead of last year and 6 days ahead of the average. Winter wheat condition rated 84% good to excellent statewide, up 3 percentage points from last week.
Fall tillage was reported as 49% complete, more than 4 weeks ahead of last year and 9 days ahead of the average.
