Crop progress, condition detailed

Wisconsin had 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending April 14, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Despite a warm weekend, cool and wet conditions earlier in the week kept equipment out of the fields throughout most of the state. Scattered corn planting was reported in eastern and southern Wisconsin. Field activities included plowing lighter soils, readying equipment, limited alfalfa planting, oat seeding, manure hauling and fertilizer application.

• Topsoil-moisture condition rated 9 percent very short, 15 percent short, 65 percent adequate and 11 percent surplus.

• Subsoil-moisture condition rated 10 percent very short, 22 percent short, 60 percent adequate and 8 percent surplus.

• Oat-planting progress was 10 percent complete, five days ahead of 2023 and one day ahead of the five-year average.

• Potato planting has begun and was 11 percent complete. That’s six days ahead of 2023 and the average.

• Spring tillage was 12 percent complete, one week ahead of 2023 and three days ahead of average.

• Winter-wheat condition was 1 percent very poor, 2 percent poor, 19 percent fair, 65 percent good and 13 percent excellent.

• Pasture and range condition was 8 percent very poor, 16 percent poor, 44 percent fair, 26 percent good and 6 percent excellent.