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Wisconsin · crop watch

Wisconsin potato crop

USDA last rated the 2020 Wisconsin potato crop for the week ending Sep 13, when 92% was good or excellent, 8 points above the five-year average of 84%, versus 80% at this point last year. Harvest stood at 99% complete (five-year average 96%). USDA's November forecast puts the 2020 crop at 28.3 million cwt, up 3.0% from last year's final of 27.5.

Last rated week ending Sep 13, 2020

Good to excellent · last reading

92%of the crop

8 points above the five-year average for this week, and 80% a year ago.

▲

99%

Harvested

+3 points against the five-year pace of 96%.

▲

28.1

million cwt, 2025 forecast

+6.6% against last year's final crop.

Analysis

Latest USDA forecast, November 2025

Wisconsin potato forecast up 6.6% on year

USDA's November 2025 forecast puts the Wisconsin potato crop at 28.1 million cwt, up 6.6% from last year's final total of 26.4 million cwt. That is still shy of the 28.4 million cwt final logged two years ago. Past November forecasts in Wisconsin have typically overshot, finishing an average of 2.1% smaller once USDA issues its final number, so this initial 28.1 million cwt figure could ease somewhat by the time the crop is fully accounted for. Watch USDA's end-of-season report for the final tally against this forecast.

Written from USDA data and source reports

Forecast reliability

±5.4%

Average gap between the season's first USDA forecast and the final crop across the last 5 completed seasons.

Weekly ratings

Crop condition, 2020

Bars are the full USDA rating split each week. The dashed line is the five-year average for good plus excellent; the dotted line is last year.

202520242023202220212020
Wisconsin potato crop condition, 20200%25%50%75%100%Week ending Jun 14: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 5%, Good 67%, Excellent 27% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 91%, last year 79%)Week ending Jun 21: Very poor 1%, Poor 1%, Fair 4%, Good 67%, Excellent 27% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 82%)Week ending Jun 28: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 3%, Good 65%, Excellent 31% — good+excellent 96% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 87%)Week ending Jul 5: Very poor 1%, Poor 2%, Fair 4%, Good 59%, Excellent 34% — good+excellent 93% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 87%)Week ending Jul 12: Very poor 0%, Poor 2%, Fair 3%, Good 60%, Excellent 35% — good+excellent 95% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 83%)Week ending Jul 19: Very poor 1%, Poor 1%, Fair 4%, Good 64%, Excellent 30% — good+excellent 94% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 74%)Week ending Jul 26: Very poor 1%, Poor 1%, Fair 9%, Good 68%, Excellent 21% — good+excellent 89% (5-yr avg 85%, last year 78%)Week ending Aug 2: Very poor 1%, Poor 1%, Fair 6%, Good 66%, Excellent 26% — good+excellent 92% (5-yr avg 87%, last year 85%)Week ending Aug 9: Very poor 1%, Poor 2%, Fair 7%, Good 67%, Excellent 23% — good+excellent 90% (5-yr avg 86%, last year 83%)Week ending Aug 16: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 1%, Good 81%, Excellent 17% — good+excellent 98% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 81%)Week ending Aug 23: Very poor 2%, Poor 2%, Fair 3%, Good 74%, Excellent 19% — good+excellent 93% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 84%)Week ending Aug 30: Very poor 2%, Poor 2%, Fair 7%, Good 67%, Excellent 22% — good+excellent 89% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 85%)Week ending Sep 6: Very poor 0%, Poor 1%, Fair 6%, Good 72%, Excellent 21% — good+excellent 93% (5-yr avg 82%, last year 82%)Week ending Sep 13: Very poor 1%, Poor 1%, Fair 6%, Good 73%, Excellent 19% — good+excellent 92% (5-yr avg 84%, last year 80%)Harvest begins — week ending Jul 19Harvest begins−5 pts — week ending Jul 26−5 ptsUSDA forecast — week ending Sep 13USDA forecastJun 14Jun 28Jul 12Jul 26Aug 9Aug 23Sep 6
Very poorPoorFairGoodExcellent5-yr avg good+excellentLast year

Latest: 92% good or excellent, week ending Sep 13. Hover a bar for the full breakdown.

Field progress

Planted, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Wisconsin potato planted, 20200%50%100%Planted, week ending Apr 12: 1% (5-yr avg 1%, last year 0%)Planted, week ending Apr 19: 7% (5-yr avg 11%, last year 5%)Planted, week ending Apr 26: 31% (5-yr avg 23%, last year 15%)Planted, week ending May 3: 59% (5-yr avg 44%, last year 38%)Planted, week ending May 10: 67% (5-yr avg 63%, last year 55%)Planted, week ending May 17: 80% (5-yr avg 79%, last year 71%)Planted, week ending May 24: 88% (5-yr avg 90%, last year 85%)Planted, week ending May 31: 91% (5-yr avg 95%, last year 92%)Planted, week ending Jun 7: 95% (5-yr avg 98%, last year 97%)Planted, week ending Jun 14: 97% (5-yr avg 99%, last year 99%)Apr 12Apr 26May 10May 24Jun 7
This year5-yr avgLast year

Planted: 97% as of Jun 14 (5-yr avg 99%).

Field progress

Harvested, 2020

This season against the five-year average pace and last year.

Wisconsin potato harvested, 20200%50%100%Harvested, week ending Jul 12: 0% (5-yr avg 0%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Jul 19: 1% (5-yr avg 2%, last year 0%)Harvested, week ending Jul 26: 5% (5-yr avg 5%, last year 1%)Harvested, week ending Aug 2: 7% (5-yr avg 9%, last year 5%)Harvested, week ending Aug 9: 10% (5-yr avg 13%, last year 8%)Harvested, week ending Aug 16: 20% (5-yr avg 18%, last year 11%)Harvested, week ending Aug 23: 24% (5-yr avg 21%, last year 14%)Harvested, week ending Aug 30: 28% (5-yr avg 25%, last year 18%)Harvested, week ending Sep 6: 40% (5-yr avg 31%, last year 25%)Harvested, week ending Sep 13: 47% (5-yr avg 40%, last year 36%)Harvested, week ending Sep 20: 57% (5-yr avg 50%, last year 43%)Harvested, week ending Sep 27: 72% (5-yr avg 64%, last year 54%)Harvested, week ending Oct 4: 79% (5-yr avg 75%, last year 63%)Harvested, week ending Oct 11: 90% (5-yr avg 83%, last year 70%)Harvested, week ending Oct 18: 94% (5-yr avg 90%, last year 81%)Harvested, week ending Oct 25: 99% (5-yr avg 96%, last year 91%)Jul 12Jul 26Aug 9Aug 23Sep 6Sep 20Oct 4Oct 18
This year5-yr avgLast year

Harvested: 99% as of Oct 25 (5-yr avg 96%).

Forecast record

How the forecast moved to final

Each season's first USDA forecast against the final estimate, with the revision between them.

Wisconsin potato crop: USDA first forecast vs final010203040million cwt2014: no forecast · final 26.2 million cwt20142015: no forecast · final 29.6 million cwt20152016: no forecast · final 29.6 million cwt20162017: no forecast · final 29.8 million cwt20172018: no forecast · final 27.1 million cwt20182019: Nov forecast 29.0 million cwt · final 27.5 million cwt (-5.2%)−5.2%20192020: Nov forecast 28.3 million cwt · final 27.5 million cwt (-2.8%)−2.8%20202021: Nov forecast 31.2 million cwt · final 28.6 million cwt (-8.2%)−8.2%20212022: Nov forecast 27.6 million cwt · final 26.2 million cwt (-5.1%)−5.1%20222023: Nov forecast 29.8 million cwt · final 28.4 million cwt (-4.9%)−4.9%20232024: Nov forecast 25.1 million cwt · final 26.4 million cwt (+5.3%)+5.3%20242025: Nov forecast 28.1 million cwt · final 29.1 million cwt (+3.6%)+3.6%2025
First forecastFinalFinal pending
Crop yearFirst forecast (million cwt)FinalRevisionCrop valueShare of US
202528.1 November29.1+3.6%$466M7.0%
202425.1 November26.4+5.3%$407M6.3%
202329.8 November28.4−4.9%$439M6.4%
202227.6 November26.2−5.1%$409M6.5%
202131.2 November28.6−8.2%$372M6.9%
202028.3 November27.5−2.8%$336M6.6%
201929.0 November27.5−5.2%$324M6.5%
2018—27.1—$285M6.0%
2017—29.8—$324M6.6%
2016—29.6—$343M6.6%
2015—29.6—$287M6.6%
2014—26.2—$273M5.8%

Revision is how far the final estimate moved from the season's first forecast — the practical measure of how much weight to give an early number.

Source: USDA NASS Crop Progress (weekly, April–November) and Crop Production reports. This product uses the NASS API but is not endorsed or certified by NASS.

Updated September 29, 2026

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