Even with some areas experiencing heavier than normal rainfall last week, the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is showing a good share of the crops in good to excellent condition. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, nearly the entire corn crop is emerged with 84 percent rated good to excellent. Soybeans are 97 percent emerged and 80 percent good to excellent, and 65 percent of the oat crop has headed with a rating of 83 percent good to excellent. The hot and wet weather left producers with an average of 4.7 days of the week ending June 17 suitable for fieldwork, mainly haying, re-planting of storm-damaged fields and post-emergent herbicide application. Parts of the state experienced severe hail and high winds as well as flash flooding from some of the slow moving storms mid-week. Temperatures started out about six to eight degrees above normal in southern Iowa for the reporting period and a heatwave ended the week with average highs in the mid-90s. This is 10 to 14 degrees above average. Little Sioux recorded the highest temperature at 99 degrees on June 17. More details and the full report can be found through the links included here.
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