The final days of the 2024 harvest are dragging on a bit longer thanks to wet conditions last week throughout much of the state, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report. Farmers had around 3.3 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Nov. 10, which included harvesting what little remained of the corn crop, fall tillage, baling stalks, and applying fall fertilizer and manure. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “Between periods of rain last week, the unseasonably warm temperatures helped Iowa farmers continue to wrap up harvest and complete other fieldwork. The widespread rainfall over the last few weeks has improved drought conditions across large swaths of Iowa. We can expect the warmer temperatures and more active weather pattern to continue as we head toward Thanksgiving.” Corn harvest reached 95 percent, four days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of the five-year average. South-central Iowa still lags behind the rest of the state, with more than 15 percent of their crop remaining in the field. Dry conditions improved drastically after last week, as topsoil moisture conditions measured 48 percent short to very short, 50 percent adequate, and two percent surplus. It was not as positive for subsoil conditions, rating 64 percent short to very short, 35 percent adequate, and one percent surplus. Find this week’s report online at www.nass.usda.gov.
