Another warm and mostly dry week with some windy weather helped move crops toward maturity and allowed farmers 6.1 days suitable for field work. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, also points out that this is National Farm Safety and Health Week, “Which is a great opportunity to remind Iowans to keep safety at top of mind this harvest season,” he says. “Looking ahead in the coming weeks, we expect warm and dry weather conditions to continue as harvest gets underway.” According to the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending Sept. 19, topsoil moisture levels are now averaging 40 percent short to very short with subsoil moisture now at 52 percent short to very short. Corn beyond dent stage reached 93 percent, four days ahead of the five-year average. An estimated half of the corn crop has reached maturity, two days ahead of the norm with the condition rated 58 percent good to excellent. Producers have started corn harvest in many parts of the state. Soybean coloring or beyond reached 86 percent, also four days ahead of the average, with those dropping leaves reaching 53 percent, three days ahead. Soybean conditions are rated at 61 percent good to excellent and harvest began in earnest in parts of the state over the past week. The full report can be found at nass.usda.gov.
