The turn to colder weather and snow flurries in select areas of the state have Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Naig, again urging farmers to exercise caution in the push to get crops in the ground. “After soil temperatures warmed for several days, some farmers were able to start planting this past week,” Naig says. He adds the early week snowflakes and predicted freezing temperatures will require patience when it comes to planting. The Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report for the week ending Sunday, April 18 shows producers had 4.7 days suitable for fieldwork, which included applying anhydrous and dry fertilizer, spreading manure, tilling fields and some planting. Four percent of the state’s corn crop has been planted and nearly two-thirds of the expected oat crop is in, five days ahead of last year and six days ahead of the five-year average. The full report can be found at nass.usda.gov.
