NORTHEY COMMENTS ON IOWA CROP PROGRESS AND CONDITION REPORT
Iowa Department of Agriculture
DES MOINES – Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Condition report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service. The report is released weekly from April through October.
“Farmers continue to gear up for another harvest and we’re seeing more activity in fields across the state as about 15 percent of corn and 8 percent of soybeans have reached maturity,” Northey said. “Moving into harvest season, the crop is very variable across the state with 60 percent of corn and 61 percent of soybeans rated as good to excellent condition.”
The weekly report is also available on the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s website at www.IowaAgriculture.gov or on USDA’s site at www.nass.usda.gov/ia. The report summary follows here:
CROP REPORT
It was another dry week in Iowa with only localized showers during the week ending September 10, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were 6.8 days suitable for fieldwork. Activities for the week included cutting hay, chopping corn for silage, seeding cover crops, hauling grain, and preparing for grain harvest.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 17 percent very short, 32 percent short, 51 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus. South central and southeast Iowa continue to be the driest parts of the state with over 80 percent of topsoil moisture rated short to very short. Subsoil moisture levels rated 19 percent very short, 34 percent short, 47 percent adequate and 0 percent surplus.
Seventy-six percent of the corn crop has reached the dent stage or beyond, three days behind the 5-year average. Fifteen percent of corn had reached maturity, six days behind last year and eight days behind average. Corn condition rated 60 percent good to excellent. Forty-seven percent of soybeans were turning color, one day behind average. Eight percent of soybeans were dropping leaves, four days behind average. Soybean condition rated 61 percent good to excellent.
The third cutting of alfalfa hay was 95 percent complete, over one week ahead of last year. There were some reports of producers starting to cut their fourth crop of alfalfa. Pasture conditions declined to 41 percent poor to very poor due to continued dry conditions slowing growth. Livestock conditions remained good, with reports of cattlemen weaning calves.
IOWA PRELIMINARY WEATHER SUMMARY
By Harry Hillaker, State Climatologist, Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
It was a very dry week across Iowa with mostly below normal temperatures. Very light rain fell over portions of north central and northeast Iowa on Monday (4th) and Tuesday (5th) with Britt reporting the most rain with only 0.13 inches. Thunderstorms were scattered over portions of northwest and far western Iowa on Saturday (9th) evening into Sunday (10th) morning with a maximum of 0.63 inches of rain reported at Akron. Otherwise no rain fell at all over most of the southern two-thirds of Iowa during the week. The statewide average rainfall was 0.03 inches while normal for the week is 0.84 inches. This was the driest week since mid-February. Meanwhile, temperatures were above normal on Sunday (3rd) and again the next Saturday (9th). In between unseasonably cool weather prevailed for the work week, especially on Tuesday (5th) and Wednesday (6th) when daytime highs were only in the sixties in most areas. Temperature extremes for the week varied from a Sunday (3rd) afternoon high of 88 degrees at Oskaloosa to a Thursday (7th) morning low of 35 degrees at Stanley (Buchanan County). The statewide average temperature was 4.0 degrees below normal for the week.
