Iowa’s corn and soybean crops are now progressing ahead of normal after running behind due to planting delays during a much-needed wet spring earlier this year. Farmers had 5.8 days suitable for fieldwork for the week ending July 28, which included harvesting oats for grain, cutting and baling hay, and applying fungicides. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “Sweltering temperatures and scattered thunderstorms dotted much of Iowa over the weekend. The mid-growing season heat and timely rain helped push crops along through the pivotal weeks of July. August looks to start warmer and drier and will shift toward more seasonal conditions through the beginning of the Iowa State Fair.” Corn silking reached 85 percent, two days behind last year but two days ahead of the five-year average. Thirty-four percent of corn is in the dough stage or beyond, a day ahead of last year and four days ahead of normal. Two percent of the corn crop is in the dent stage. Corn conditions rated 77 percent good to excellent. As for soybeans, 83 percent of the crop is blooming, four days behind last year but a day ahead of the average. Soybeans setting pods reached 43 percent, two days behind last year. Soybean conditions measured 76 percent good to excellent. Turning to moisture conditions, topsoil rated 13 percent short to very short, 80 percent adequate, and seven percent surplus. Subsoil rated 13 percent short to very short, 80 percent adequate, and seven percent surplus. Read the full report online at nass.usda.gov.
