Southern Wisconsin still waiting for much-needed rain

Recent rainfall in Wisconsin brought much-needed relief to some dry parts of the state, but other regions are still waiting for their share.

The central and northwest parts of the state received some needed rain this past week, but the south is still waiting for a good soaking. That’s where much of the state’s soybeans and corn are grown. Bob Battaglia is the director of the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service office. He says a good shot of rain would be a relief for many planters: “I’m looking outside now, I don’t see a lot out there. But hopefully it will come and make everyone feel better, and the plants do better.”

Juneau County farmers in south-central Wisconsin are waiting for rain too. Craig Saxe is the county’s UW Extension Agriculture Agent. He says the county hasn’t had a good rain since early May. Saxe says this is the driest season he’s seen so far in his 18 years on the job: “What concerns me the most is: This is June. If we don’t get rain in the next few weeks it will be July or August, when we traditionally get hot dry weather conditions.”

So far May and June have already brought on some very hot days. The USDA ag statistics service says Wisconsin has seen highs of 90 degrees in each of the past five weeks.