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 make planting progress as conditions allow. Corn planted has now reached 97% complete and soybeans are 77% percent planted. South-central Iowa has been the most impacted by weather and as are result only has 86% of corn and 57% of beans are planted. Hopefully the nicer weather we’ve had the last few days holds on and farmers there are able to finish planting, spray for weeds and get other needed work done,” Northey said.
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
Wet conditions kept farmers from finishing up planting during the week ending May 28, 2017, according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service. Statewide there were only 2.7 days suitable for fieldwork. There were scattered reports of corn turning yellow, and replanting of crops in areas with standing water.
Topsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 77 percent adequate and 23 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture levels rated 0 percent very short, 0 percent short, 78 percent adequate and 22 percent surplus.
Nearly all of Iowa’s corn crop has been planted with only South Central Iowa having over 10 percent of the crop remaining to be planted. Corn emerged reached 82 percent, 3 days behind last year but 1 day ahead of the 5-year average. Seventy-three percent of the corn crop was rated in good to excellent condition. Soybean planting reached 77 percent complete, 5 days behind last year. South Central Iowa lags behind with 43 percent of the crop yet to be planted. Soybean emergence reached 39 percent, 3 days behind last year and 1 day behind average. Oats headed reached 10 percent, 1 week behind last year and 3 days behind average. Oat condition decreased to 74 percent good to excellent.
The first cutting of alfalfa hay was 21 percent complete, 5 days behind last year and 4 days behind average. Hay condition rated 81 percent good to excellent. Pasture condition remained at 82 percent good to excellent. Although livestock conditions were reported as normal with little stress, many feedlots were muddy most of the week.
