Iowa farmers nearly finished their 2023 corn crop planting season and made substantial progress with soybeans last week, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report. Producers had an average of 4.8 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending May 21 with cooler-than-normal temperatures and mostly dry conditions throughout the state. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig says, “Damp conditions early last week eventually gave way to warmer and drier weather, which allowed many farmers across the state to wrap up planting. While the haze from the Canadian wildfires will dissipate by mid-week, forecasts show the warmer and drier conditions will stick around all week.” An estimated 95 percent of Iowa’s expected corn crop is now planted, nine days ahead of last year and 12 days ahead of average. Nearly 65 percent of corn has emerged, six days ahead of last year and four days ahead of normal. Eighty-four percent of Iowa soybean crop is planted, more than a week ahead of last year and six days ahead of normal. Around 43 percent of beans have emerged, eight days ahead of last year and six days ahead of average. Topsoil moisture conditions rated five percent very short, 20 percent short, 71 percent adequate, and four percent surplus. Subsoil moisture conditions rated seven percent very short, 25 percent short, 65 percent adequate, and three percent surplus. The latest Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is available online at www.nass.usda.gov.
