According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report, farmers were limited to just 2.3 days in the field last week thanks to cold, windy, and wet weather patterns across the state. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, says “It was another active weather week with additional periods of severe thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall. Cooler temperatures and windy conditions also persisted, though soil temperatures are slowly rising.” As of Monday, soil temperatures were at or above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the southern two-thirds of the state. Fieldwork was focused primarily on continued anhydrous and fertilizer application with scattered reports of limited corn and soybean planting. Only 22 percent of topsoil moisture ratings were categorized as short to very short with 38 percent of subsoil rated short or very short. Just under half the oat crop had been planted as of April 24, 10 days behind last year and five days behind the five-year average. Producers reported pastures beginning to turn green as hay supplies dwindled in some areas. The entire Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report for the week ending April 24 can be found at nass.usda.gov.
