Iowa’s soybean and corn crop condition ratings dropped below 70 percent last week, according to the latest Crop Progress and Condition Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). For the week ending Aug. 14, producers had 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork on average, with farmers beginning to cut corn for silage in some areas. Iowa’s corn crop dipped seven percentage points from last week to 66 percent good to excellent. Seventy-two percent of corn has reached the dough stage or beyond, three days behind last year but a day ahead of average. About 15 percent has reached the dent stage, four days behind 2021 and a day behind average. Soybean conditions dropped eight percentage points to 63 percent good to excellent. Eighty percent of plants were setting pods, eight days behind last year and two days behind the five-year average. There were scattered reports of soybeans beginning to color. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “With the Iowa State Fair in full swing, a notable shift in the weather has brought cooler conditions statewide and rainfall to portions of western Iowa. The weather outlook through the end of August shows moderating temperatures with additional chances of precipitation. Farmers should also see periods of drier conditions, which will allow for cover crop seeding.” The weekly USDA Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report is available online at nass.usda.gov.
