At least some Wisconsin farmers will have to plant their crops a second time, after the first ones were damaged by last week’s storms.
Almost one dozen tornadoes and a rash of heavy thunderstorms roared through different parts of the state each day — and the USDA says it damaged crops and farm buildings while creating ponds in low lying areas. But in places where it didn’t rain, crops responded well to the heat and humidity — and their conditions got better.
The Wisconsin Ag Statistics Service says 71 percent of the state’s corn is rated good to excellent, and 94 percent of the crop has emerged from the ground — eight days later than last year, but one day ahead of the average for the past five years. Meanwhile, 78 percent of the soybeans are good to excellent, along with 81 percent of the oat crop and 85 percent of Wisconsin’s potatoes.
