The 2024 planting season began in earnest last week across Iowa, according to the latest Crop Progress and Condition Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dry conditions combined with warmer-than-normal temperatures to give Iowa farmers 4.9 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending April 14. Activities included tillage, spraying, applying fertilizer, and seeding oats, with scattered reports of some corn and soybeans planted. An estimated four percent of the expected corn acreage is now in the ground, and oats seeding reached 66 percent complete, nine days ahead of last year and 10 days ahead of the five-year average. Twenty percent of the expected oat acreage has emerged, nearly two weeks ahead of last year and the five-year average. Forecasted rainfall this week is expected to alleviate drought pressure throughout the state. Topsoil moisture conditions rated 52 percent short to very short, 46 percent adequate, and two percent surplus, while subsoil moisture conditions rated 63 percent short to very short, 36 percent adequate, and one percent surplus. The complete USDA Iowa Crop Progress and Condition Report is available online at nass.usda.gov.
