Mostly dry weather helped farmers make progress harvesting corn silage, cutting hay, and seeding winter wheat. Other field activities included harvesting potatoes, spreading manure, and fall tillage. Harvest of soybeans and corn for grain was underway in portions of the state. The Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA shares details on how things are looking.
Corn condition was 64 percent good to excellent, up 1 percentage point from last week. Forty-nine percent of corn silage is off the ground. That’s 1 day ahead of last year and 2 days ahead of the average. Thirty-nine percent of the corn crop was mature. Meanwhile, corn in the dough stage reached 97 percent. Eighty-two percent of corn has reached the dent stage, 3 days behind last year but equal to the 5-year average.
Soybean condition remained at 63 percent good to excellent. Soybeans coloring reached 88 percent, 7 days ahead of last year and the average.
The fourth cutting of alfalfa hay was 79 percent complete. Winter wheat planting was 34 percent complete with 18 percent emerged.
