The end of November marks the end of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s weekly Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, is pleased to report that the Iowa harvest is considered complete. There is only about two percent of corn for grain crop remaining in the field, three weeks ahead of last years and 11 days ahead of the five-year average. Extra tillage is being done by some farmers who are concerned about volunteer corn in 2021 due to the damaged crop this year. “Farmers have capitalized on the mild and dry weather over the past few weeks to wrap up harvest and complete other fieldwork, including seeding cover crops and installing other conservation practices,” Naig says. “This growing season has been challenging, no doubt. But Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity for us to evaluate the positive food security initiatives and conservation work happening around the state. We all have so many things to be grateful for. Let’s take some time to count our blessings this week,” says Naig. The full report can be found online at nass.usda.gov/ia.
