Both corn and soybean conditions in Iowa dropped below 60 percent good to excellent in this week’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Crop Progress and Condition report. For the week ending July 30, farmers had an average of 6.2 days suitable for fieldwork, with activities including cutting hay, harvesting oats, and applying fungicides. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “July ended with several days of sweltering temperatures mixed in with scattered thunderstorms, some producing isolated hail, high winds, and spotty pockets of heavier rainfall. As the calendar turns to August, cooler temperatures and more widespread rain chances return to the forecast.” The continued dry conditions exacerbated crop stress statewide. Corn conditions dropped to 59 percent good to excellent, as corn silking hit 92 percent this week, seven days ahead of last year and five days ahead of normal. Five percent of corn has reached the dent stage, eight days ahead of last year and six days ahead of normal. An estimated 37 percent of the corn crop has reached the dough stage or beyond, three days ahead of last year and the five-year average. Soybean conditions fell to 55 percent good to excellent. Ninety-three percent of soybeans were blooming, nearly two weeks ahead of last year and 11 days ahead of the average. Soybeans setting pods reached 57 percent, three days ahead of last year and two days ahead of the five-year average. Topsoil moisture conditions rated 61 percent short to very short, 38 percent adequate, and one percent surplus. Subsoil moisture conditions rated 67 percent short to very short, 32 percent adequate, and one percent surplus. The complete USDA Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
