Weekend rains across wide swaths of the state did little to prevent the continued decline of corn and soybean crop conditions across Iowa, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Crop Progress and Condition Report. For the week ending June 25, producers had an average of six days suitable for fieldwork, primarily cutting hay and spraying crops. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “Hot and dry conditions persisted much of last week until a shift in the weather pattern over the weekend brought beneficial and widespread rainfall across much of Iowa, including parts of the state impacted by the continuing drought. Weather outlooks into early July continue to show better chances of rainfall after several weeks of unseasonably dry conditions.” Corn conditions declined to 56 percent good to excellent, as scattered reports of corn beginning to silk were recorded. Soybean conditions fell to 48 percent good to excellent. An estimated 10 percent of soybeans were blooming, six days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average. Topsoil moisture conditions rated 67 percent short to very short, 32 percent adequate, and one percent surplus. Subsoil moisture conditions rated 66 percent short to very short, 31 percent adequate, and one percent surplus. The complete Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
