A warm-weather forecast will see the wheels moving in a majority of the fields across the state this week. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig says, “With the corn crop insurance planting date behind us, many farmers are looking to get the first seeds in the ground. Iowa has been colder than normal, but this week’s forecast looks favorable and we should start to see planting progress in some parts of the state.” The Iowa Crop Progress and Conditions Report for the week of April 13 through April 19 showed rain and snow limited producers to just 2.9 days suitable for fieldwork. Areas of southern Iowa saw up to a foot of snow late Thursday, April 16 through the morning of Friday, April 17. Where possible, field activities included planting, applying anhydrous and dry fertilizer, spreading manure and tilling fields. In spite of these less than ideal conditions, two percent of Iowa’s corn crop has been planted, almost one week behind the five-year average.
