The 2022 harvest continued at a rapid clip over the past week, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report. Producers had 6.1 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Oct. 16, with activities centered on harvesting row crops, tillage, and fall fertilizer applications. Soybean harvest progressed to 74 percent complete, 11 days ahead of average. The corn harvest pushed to 38 percent finished, two days behind last year but six days ahead of the average. Moisture content for harvested field corn stood at 19 percent. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “For the first time since August 2013, all of the state is experiencing some form of abnormal dryness or drought, but weather outlooks through the end of the month are indicating potential shifts toward wetter conditions and warmer temperatures.” Over 60 percent of the state’s topsoil moisture ratings are considered short to very short, while subsoil conditions registered 64 percent short to very short. The full USDA Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
