Eighty percent of the winter wheat crop is starting to show color, according to the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. That’s two days behind last year but still ahead of the five-year average. However, wheat condition dipped slightly, down one point from last week to 71 percent rated good to excellent.
As Wisconsin growers prepare for the wheat harvest, other states have already started, such as Ohio and the Great Plains. There’s been some concern about the quality due to wetness over the past few weeks, says market advisor John Heinberg of Total Farm Marketing. Heinberg says wheat prices may have reached their peak.
“The wheat market is just one of those markets where somebody is producing wheat, harvesting wheat somewhere in the world at some time,” he explains. “Now it’s our turn to be the harvesters. That just makes it very difficult for prices to get any footing, as wheat futures fell apart after trying to rally here last week.”
Heinberg says once the bushels start moving, it’ll add to the selling pressure in the grain space over the next few weeks.
Crop Condition
Farmers across Wisconsin are dodging raindrops this July. For the week ending July 6, there were only 4.3 days suitable for fieldwork. Parts of the state saw heavy rainfall, which left standing water in some low-lying fields. That’s made it tricky for folks trying to get hay off the field, but they’re making progress when the weather allows.
The second cutting of alfalfa is over halfway done. That’s four days ahead of last year. In some areas, farmers have already started the third cutting. However, the recent rains have knocked hay condition down a bit, now at 76 percent good to excellent, a 6-point drop.
Despite the soggy conditions, most fields are holding up well. Topsoil moisture is mostly in good shape, with 65 percent rated “adequate” and 25 percent rated “surplus.” Subsoil moisture looks similar.
Out in the cornfields, some early silking has been spotted — a key milestone for pollination season. Overall, Wisconsin’s corn is looking strong, with 77 percent rated good to excellent, which is a 2-point boost over last week.
About 29 percent of the soybean crop is in bloom. That’s five days ahead of where we were last year. And like corn, soybean condition is improving, now at 75 percent good to excellent.
As for oats, they’re 80 percent headed and 34 percent are coloring, a couple of days ahead of last year’s pace. That said, oat condition dropped 4 points, though it’s still sitting strong at 81 percent good to excellent.
Potatoes are thriving at 88 percent good to excellent, up two points from the week before.
Pastures are feeling the effects of the wet weather too, with condition ratings slipping five points to 69 percent good to excellent.
