It's been 15 years since Wisconsin farmers planted so much corn so quickly. New federal figures show that 85-percent of the state's corn was in the ground as of Sunday -- the largest percentage planted by May 17th since 2000. Farmers continued to make progress last week, as 12-percent of the year's corn went in despite spotty rain showers and below-normal temperatures. Forty-one percent of the state's corn has emerged from the ground, nine days ahead of the average for the past five years. Half the soybeans were planted as of Sunday -- double the amount from a week ago, and 30-percent ahead of the five-year average. Wisconsin has its largest percentage of soybeans planted by now in over 35 years. Nine-percent of the beans have emerged, much more than the norm of two-percent. Oat planting is also ahead of normal, at 96-percent. Wisconsin's current hay crop is rated 78-percent good-to-excellent, and 70-percent of the winter wheat is good-or-better. Also, top-soil moisture improved from last week.
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